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Political career

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Betty Boothroyd at her installation as Open University Chancellor with Asa Briggs, outgoing OU Chancellor in Birmingham on 18 March 1995
Image : Betty Boothroyd and Asa Briggs
Date: 18-03-1995
Title: Political life and OU Chancellor installation
Duration: 00:00:10
Date: 2002

In 1974 Betty Boothroyd was appointed as assistant Government Whip and she was appointed a Member of the European Parliament from 1975 to 1977. In 1979 she became a member of the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, until 1981, and of the Speaker's Panel of Chairmen, until 1987. She was also a member of the Labour Party National Executive Committee from 1981 to 1987 and the House of Commons Commission from 1983 to 1987.

 

In 1987 Betty was elected Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. In 1992 she was elected Speaker, the first ever female Speaker, with a majority of 134 votes over Peter Brooke. She retained this position until her retirement in 2000.

 

In 2001 she was created a Life Peer, taking as her title Baroness Boothroyd of Sandwell in the West Midlands. She sits, by tradition, as a crossbench peer in the House of Lords.

 

The video clip opposite was broadcast as part of an edition of Open Campus 1 in 1995 to coincide with Baroness Boothroyd’s appointment as Chancellor of The Open University. It takes a look back at her political career and role as Speaker of the House and is followed by footage of her installation as Chancellor at an OU graduation ceremony in Birmingham on 18 March 1995.

 

The image on this page shows Betty in her OU Chancellor robes with her predecessor, Lord Asa Briggs.

Political career (page 2 of 2)