Speaker of the British House of Commons

In the United Kingdom, the Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the Lower House of Parliament, the House of Commons, and is seen historically as the First Commoner of the Land. The current Speaker is The Right Honourable Michael Martin MP, who took office in 2000 and was re-elected on 11 May 2005 following the 2005 general election.

History

The office of Speaker is an ancient one, and is almost as old as Parliament itself. The earliest year for which a presiding officer has been identified is 1258, when Peter de Montfort presided over the Parliament held in Oxford. Early presiding officers were known by the title parlour or prolocutor. The first "Speaker" of the House of Commons was Sir Thomas Hungerford, who took office in 1376.

Related Topics:
1258 - Peter de Montfort - Parliament held in Oxford - Thomas Hungerford - 1376

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Until the seventeenth century, members of the House of Commons often viewed their Speaker as an agent of the Crown. As Parliament evolved, however, the Speaker's position grew into one that involved more duties to the House than to the Crown; such was definitely the case by the time of the English Civil War. This change is sometimes said to be reflected by an incident in 1642, when King Charles I entered the House in order to search for and arrest five members for high treason. When the King asked him if he knew of the location of these members, the Speaker, William Lenthall, famously replied: "May it please your Majesty, I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here."

Related Topics:
Seventeenth century - The Crown - English Civil War - 1642 - King Charles I - High treason - William Lenthall

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The development of Cabinet government under King William III in the late seventeenth century caused further change in the nature of the Speakership. Speakers were generally associated with the ministry, and often held other government offices. For example, Robert Harley served simultaneously as Speaker and as a Secretary of State between 1704 and 1705. The Speaker between 1728 and 1761, Arthur Onslow, reduced ties with the government, though the office did remain to a large degree political. The Speakership evolved into its modern form—in which the holder is an impartial and apolitical officer who does not belong to any party—only during the middle of the nineteenth century.

Related Topics:
Cabinet government - King William III - Robert Harley - Secretary of State - 1704 - 1705 - 1728 - 1761 - Arthur Onslow - Nineteenth century

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When referring to current and former speakers, the proper terminology is to prefix their surname with 'speaker', thus "Speaker Hungerford", "Speaker Lenthall".

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Over 150 individuals have served as Speaker of the House of Commons. Betty Boothroyd, who was elected in 1992 and served until 2000, was the first woman to fill the position. Her successor and the present incumbent, Michael Martin, is the first Roman Catholic to serve as Speaker since the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century.

Related Topics:
Betty Boothroyd - 1992 - 2000 - Roman Catholic - Protestant Reformation - Sixteenth century

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