Senior MPs and former ministers at present attended a Westminster memorial service for Betty Boothroyd – the primary feminine Speaker of the House of Commons.
Ex-Tory Chancellor Lord Philip Hammond and Labour‘s former international secretary Lord David Owen have been amongst these to attend the thanksgiving occasion at St Margaret’s Church.
West Yorkshire-born Baroness Boothroyd, first elected to Parliament in 1973 as Labour MP for West Bromwich, served as Speaker from 1992 to 2000.
She was hailed as an ‘inspiration’ who had ‘smashed the glass ceiling to smithereens’ following her dying aged 93 in February final 12 months.
Cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt, the present Leader of the House of Commons, and 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady have been amongst senior Tories at this morning’s service.
Former impartial MP Martin Bell and ex-Tory minister Neil Hamilton, now the chief of UKIP, additionally attended.
Ex-Tory chancellor Lord Hammond of Runnymede was amongst these to attend the memorial service for Betty Boothroyd, the previous Speaker of the House of Commons
Cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt, the present Leader of the House of Commons, and 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady have been amongst senior Tories at this morning’s service.
Baroness Boothroyd (pictured in 2019), was first elected to Parliament in 1973 as Labour MP for West Bromwich and served as Speaker from 1992 to 2000
Radio and TV persona Gyles Brandreth, a former Tory MP, is pictured arriving at St Margaret’s Church
Labour’s former international secretary Lord David Owen and present shadow dwelling secretary Yvette Cooper
Ex-Tory minister Neil Hamilton, now the chief of UKIP, and his spouse Christine
Former Labour dwelling secretary Charles Clarke (left) and David Lidington, who was Theresa May’s de facto deputy PM
Martin Bell, the previous impartial MP and BBC struggle reporter, in certainly one of his well-known white fits
Sir Roger Gale, Nigel Evans (centre) and Rosie Winterton – whp are all presently deputy audio system of the Commons
Baroness Boothroyd’s funeral passed off in March final 12 months at a twelfth century church within the Cambridgeshire village she known as dwelling in her later years.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the present Commons Speaker, stated on the time he would bear in mind her ‘not solely as a good friend, however an inspiration’.
‘She smashed that cup ceiling to smithereens. She turned the primary and solely girl Speaker we have ever had,’ he added.
‘She is among the best Speakers ever recognized. One of the best ladies that I can actually say that I’ve recognized.
‘I’ll all the time be in awe and all the time thank her for her kindness and her recommendation.’
Baroness Boothroyd shattered greater than 700 years of parliamentary custom when she turned the primary girl to be elected Speaker in April 1992, staying on till October 2000.
She then entered the Lords as a crossbench peer in January 2001.
Born to mill employee mother and father in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, in 1929, Baroness Boothroyd was an expert dancer from 1946 to 1948 and appeared in pantomime in London’s West End earlier than going into politics.
She unsuccessfully contested 4 parliamentary seats earlier than being elected to West Bromwich (later to turn out to be West Bromwich West) in May 1973.