Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom) Speaker Betty Boothroyd did give a Casting Vote of No, although this was later expunged when the error became clear. In addition to his or her role as presiding officer, the Speaker performs several other functions on the behalf of the House of Commons. He or she represents the body in relations with the Sovereign, the House of Lords, and non-parliamentary bodies. On important occasions of state (such as Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee in 2002), the Speaker presents Addresses to the Crown on behalf of the House. The Speaker performs various procedural functions. He or she may recall the
1971 Speaker of the British House of Commons election 1971 Speaker of the British House of Commons election The 1971 election of the Speaker of the House of Commons occurred on 12 January 1971, following the retirement of the previous Speaker Dr Horace King. The election resulted in the election of Conservative MP Selwyn Lloyd, formerly Chancellor of the Exchequer and Foreign Secretary. It was the first election with more than one nominee since William Morrison defeated Major James Milner on 31 October 1951. However, under the rules at the time, any MP could be nominated for Speaker with or without their consent or knowledge. Labour MP Geoffrey de