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
Next Speaker of the British House of Commons election 2017 general election, and the last contested election of a Speaker was held on 22 June 2009. The current rules for the election of the Speaker were introduced on 22 March 2001 and are set out in section 1 of the Standing Orders of the House of Commons. A candidate for Speaker must be a sitting Member of Parliament and be nominated by at least twelve and at most fifteen Members of Parliament, at least three of whom must be from a political party different to that of the candidate. Each MP may only nominate one candidate. The Father of