Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom) Commons. Their names are inscribed in gold leaf around the upper walls of Room C of the House of Commons Library. The three most recent Speakers have been notable for a series of firsts. Betty Boothroyd, elected in 1992, was the first woman Speaker. Michael Martin, elected in 2000, was the first Roman Catholic Speaker since the Reformation. John Bercow, elected in 2009, is the first Jewish Speaker. By convention, Speakers have traditionally been addressed in Parliament as "Mr Speaker", and their deputies as "Mr Deputy Speaker", regardless of their gender or their usual title. Betty Boothroyd was, at her
1971 Speaker of the British House of Commons election the House, but De Freitas followed by stating he had not been consulted by anyone who proposed his name and stated his support for Lloyd. MPs then voted on the motion that Selwyn Lloyd take the Chair as Speaker, which was approved by 294 votes to 55. Lloyd was thus conducted to the Speaker's Chair by Charles Pannell and Dame Irene Ward. 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