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 the House (currently Kenneth Clarke) acts as presiding officer of the Commons during the election process. If there is only one candidate, a motion is put before the House asking if the candidate should take the Chair as Speaker. If the question is challenged the decision is made by division (vote). If there is more than one candidate the House then votes by secret ballot using the exhaustive ballot voting system, with each MP having one vote and an absolute majority required for victory. If no candidate wins a majority then the individual with the fewest votes is eliminated, as