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
2009 Speaker of the British House of Commons election under a voting system known as the exhaustive ballot. Then, the House voted on a formal motion to appoint the member in question to the Speakership. The Father of the House, Alan Williams, was the presiding officer of the Commons during the election process. The final stage of appointment of a new Speaker is a formality but has constitutional significance. The Queen must signify her approval of the new Speaker, which is done by the appointment of a Royal Commission. The following individuals all confirmed their intention to stand for election to the office of Speaker, and were all in