Boothroyd, Betty (1929– )

British Labour politician, Speaker of the House of Commons 1992–2000. A Yorkshire-born daughter of a textile worker and weaver, and a former West End dancer, she was elected member of Parliament for West Bromwich in the West Midlands in 1973 and was a member of the European Parliament 1975–77. The first woman to hold the office of Speaker, she controlled parliamentary proceedings with a mixture of firmness and good humour. She announced in July 2000 that she would retire from her official duties as Speaker at the end of summer 2000.