Former Commons Speaker Betty Boothroyd dies

The archetypal pistillate Speaker of the Houses of Commons Betty Boothroyd has died aged 93.

Before becoming talker she served arsenic Labour MP for West Bromwich West from 1974 to 2000.

She went connected to service arsenic a baroness successful the House of Lords from 2001 until her death.

The existent Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle described her arsenic "an inspirational woman" who was known for her "no-nonsense style".

"To beryllium the archetypal pistillate Speaker was genuinely ground-breaking and Betty surely broke that solid ceiling with panache.

"Betty was 1 of a kind. A sharp, witty and formidable pistillate - and I volition miss her," helium said.

She was calved connected 8 October 1929 successful Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, the lone girl of mill workers.

She grew up successful a governmental situation - her begetter was a commercialized unionist and she described herself arsenic coming "out of the womb into the Labour movement".

However, she didn't instantly spell into politics, pursuing alternatively a vocation arsenic a dancer.