Betty Boothroyd, Baroness Boothroyd, of Sandwell in the County of West Midlands, was a British politician who served as a member of Parliament. She was first elected to represent West Bromwich in 1973 and, after the constituency split the following year, represented West Bromwich West until 2000. Successful and popular as a speaker, she became known internationally for her lively, quick-witted style, her kindness, and her hint of glamor. A member of the Labour Party, she upended more than 700 years of parliamentary tradition when she became the first woman to be elected Speaker of the House of Commons. She later sat as a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, as tradition dictates.
Boothroyd was born in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, in 1929, the only child of textile workers. She originally dreamed of being a dancer and, after attending Dewsbury College of Commerce and Art, spent some time with a troupe called the Tiller Girls, a successful stage and television act. After a foot infection ended her dancing career, she chose to enter politics.
During the 1950s, Boothroyd worked as an assistant to several Labour MPs, including Barbara Castle, after twice unsuccessfully standing for Parliament. She traveled to the United States in 1960, where she observed the John F. Kennedy campaign. She then worked in Washington D.C. as a legislative assistant for Congressman Silvio Conte between 1960 and 1962 before returning to London to work as secretary and political assistant to various senior Labour politicians.
Boothroyd was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for West Bromwich in a by-election in 1973 and was appointed assistant Government Whip the following year. In 1979, she was also appointed to both the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Speaker’s Panel of Chairmen. After leaving the committee in 1981, she served on the panel until 1987, at which point she was appointed Deputy Speaker of the House. Her historical achievement of House Speaker was reached in 1992, with Boothroyd modernizing the role by forgoing the speaker’s traditional wig.
Boothroyd announced her retirement in 2000 and was given an Order of Merit by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005. She died on February 26, 2023, at the age of 93.