House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Ways and Means. These titles derive from the Committee of Ways and Means, a body over which the chairman once used to preside; even though the Committee was abolished in 1967, the traditional titles of the Deputy Speakers are still retained. The Speaker and the Deputy Speakers are always members of the House of Commons. Whilst presiding, the Speaker or Deputy Speaker wears ceremonial dress. The presiding officer may also wear a wig, but this tradition was abandoned by Speaker Betty Boothroyd. Her successor, Michael Martin, also did not wear a wig while in the chamber. The current Speaker,
1951 Speaker of the British House of Commons election 1951 Speaker of the British House of Commons election The 1951 election of the Speaker of the House of Commons occurred on 31 October 1951, following the 1951 general election and the retirement of the previous Speaker Col Douglas Clifton Brown. The election resulted in the election of Conservative MP William Morrison. This was one of the few Speaker elections held in the 20th century in which there was more than one nominee (the others including 1971 and 1992), and the first contested election of Speaker since 10 April 1895. The election was conducted by means of a conventional parliamentary