The death of Betty Boothroyd, the first female Speaker of the House of Commons, has been met with sadness and tributes from across the political spectrum. On Monday, current Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle announced her passing, hailing Boothroyd as an “inspiring woman” and an “inspirational politician”.
Tributes to Boothroyd’s work have been pouring in from all sides of the political spectrum. Simon Clarke, the governing Conservative Party’s MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, described her as a “magnificent parliamentarian”, while Labour MP Kim Johnson praised her as a “strong northern, female and working class voice at the heart of Parliament”.
Boothroyd was born on October 8, 1929, in the market town of Dewsbury in northern England. She was raised in a working-class family and held a number of office jobs prior to beginning her political career. She was elected as the first female Speaker in April 1992 and served until October 2000. In 2001, she became a baroness in the House of Lords.
In recent years, Boothroyd was an active campaigner for the UK to remain in the European Union. Her death has been met with sadness and admiration for her remarkable career. Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: “To be the first woman Speaker was truly ground-breaking and Betty certainly broke that glass ceiling with panache. 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.”