Betty Boothroyd becomes first female Speaker of the House of Commons.

Baroness Boothroyd was a Labour MP for West Bromwick and West Bromwick West from 1973 to 1992. She was the first female Speaker. There was some debate over whether Boothroyd should wear the traditional Speaker’s wig upon her election and she chose not to, stating that subsequent Speakers would be free to choose whether or not to wear it. Tony Blair called her something of a national institution.