BARONESS Betty Boothroyd, the first woman to be Speaker of the House of Commons, has died aged 93, according to current Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who said she was “one of a kind”.
Baroness Boothroyd became an MP in 1973, standing for the Labour Party in West Bromwich.
Upon election she became one of 27 female MPs in the House of Commons at the time.
In 1987, she was appointed as deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, before becoming Speaker herself when Bernard “Jack” Weatherill announced he was stepping down in 1992.
Her appointment, as the first female Speaker of the House, was contested by Conservative MP John Brooke, but it was Baroness Boothroyd who won the election by a vote of 372 to 238.
The Baroness would remain speaker for eight years, stepping down from the role in 2000.
Paying tribute to the former Speaker, the current incumbent of the role, Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: “Not only was Betty Boothroyd an inspiring woman, but she was also an inspirational politician, and someone I was proud to call my friend.
“To be the first woman Speaker was truly ground-breaking and Betty certainly broke that glass ceiling with panache.
“She was from Yorkshire, and I am from Lancashire – so there was always that friendly rivalry between us. But from my point of view, it was heartening to hear a Northern voice speaking from the Chair.
“She stuck by the rules, had a no-nonsense style, but any reprimands she did issue were done with good humour and charm.
“Betty was one of a kind. A sharp, witty and formidable woman – and I will miss her.”
