During the mid-to-late 1950s, Boothroyd worked as secretary to Labour MPs Barbara Castle [7] and Geoffrey de Freitas. [8] In 1960, she travelled to the United States to see the Kennedy campaign. She subsequently worked in Washington, DC as a legislative assistant to American Congressman Silvio Conte, between 1960 and 1962. When she returned to London, she resumed her work as a secretary and political assistant to various senior Labour politicians including Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Harry Walston. [9] In 1965, she was elected to a seat on Hammersmith Borough Council, in Gibbs Green ward, where she remained until 1968. [10] [11] Member of Parliament [ edit ] Langdon, Julia (27 February 2023). "Lady Boothroyd obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 27 February 2023.

Honorarygraduateschronological". City, University of London. Archived from theoriginal on 14 September 2013 . Retrieved 29 July 2017. In 1975, she was elected a member of the European Parliament and became a vocal advocate of the common market. On 12 July 2000, following Prime Minister's Questions, Boothroyd announced to the House of Commons that would resign as Speaker after the summer recess. TonyBlair, then prime minister, paid tribute to her as "something of a national institution". Blair's predecessor, JohnMajor, described her as an "outstanding Speaker". [23] She stepped down as Speaker and resignedasanMP on 23 October 2000. [24] Life peerage and later activityMorris, Sophie (27 Chwefror 2023). "Baroness Boothroyd, first female Speaker of the House of Commons, has died aged 93" (yn Saesneg). Sky News . Cyrchwyd 27 Chwefror 2023. Betty Boothroyd: Funeral held for first woman Commons Speaker". BBC News. 29 March 2023 . Retrieved 29 March 2023.

House of Commons Speaker's Residence". C-SPAN. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019 . Retrieved 15 February 2019. Boothroyd was born in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, in 1929, the only child of Ben Archibald Boothroyd (1886–1948) and his second wife Mary ( née Butterfield, 1901–1982), both textile workers. She was educated at council schools and went on to study at Dewsbury College of Commerce and Art (now Kirklees College). From 1946 to 1952, she worked as a dancer, as a member of the Tiller Girls dancing troupe, [5] briefly appearing at the London Palladium. A foot infection brought an end to her dancing career and she entered politics, something then unusual, as the political world was heavily male-dominated and mostly aristocratic. [6] Boothroyd served as the MP for West Bromwich West, formerly West Bromwich, from 1973 until 2000 and was made a life peer in the House of Lords after her retirement from the Commons. Boothroyd received at least eight honorary degrees in recognition of her political career, [48] including:

Hardy Amies, designer by appointment, dresses her for the part. She uses a heritage fund to buy a 'neoclassical diamond tiara', an ersatz crown to wear to state dinners. 'When I retired, it was sent to Wartski's, the Queen's jeweller, to sell at a handsome profit.'