Betty Boothroyd

Betty Boothroyd (born 1931) is a widely respected British politician. She served as Speaker of the House of Commons for eight years, and is also widely known as having been a member of the Tiller Girls dancing troupe in her younger years.

She entered Parliament as Labour MP for West Bromwich in 1974. She became a deputy speaker in 1987. In 1992 she was elected Speaker, being the first woman ever to hold the job, and also the first person from the opposition to be given it. She stepped down in 2000, and resigned as an MP. She was succeeded by Michael Martin as speaker. After she stepped down she was made Baroness Boothroyd of Sandwell and sits in the House of Lords as a cross-bencher.