Rishi Sunak leads tributes at funeral of ‘remarkable’ first female Speaker Betty Boothroyd

Rishi Sunak described Baroness Betty Boothroyd, the only female Speaker of the House of Commons, as “remarkable” as he joined Sir Keir Starmer at her funeral.

Baroness Boothroyd, a former Labour MP, died last month at the age of 93. She became the first woman to be elected Speaker in 1992, as well as the first opposition MP to be elected to the role, having secured overwhelming support from both sides of the House.

Her funeral took place at midday in the village of Thriplow, Cambridge, on Wednesday, with both Mr Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir in attendance, leaving their deputies to stand at the despatch box for Prime Minister’s Questions.

The prime minister said: “Parliament stands taller because of her service.

“Today we come together from across the political spectrum to remember one of our greatest speakers – the remarkable Betty Boothroyd.”

Four pallbearers carried the coffin into St George’s Church, where organ music played.

Addressing the house at the start of PMQs, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said: “I am sure the whole house would want to join me to pay tribute to Betty Boothroyd. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family.”

Current speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who also attended the funeral, described Baroness Boothroyd as “one of a kind” after MPs from across the political spectrum paid tribute after the announcement of her death.

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Born in 1929 in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, Baroness Boothroyd was a professional dancer from 1946 to 1948 and appeared in pantomime in London’s West End before going into politics.

She was elected to West Bromwich (later to become West Bromwich West) in May 1973, and became the first woman to be elected speaker in April 1992, staying on until October 2000.

In 2001 she entered the House of Lords as a crossbench peer.