Betty Boothroyd

I came out of the womb into the Labour movement.

— Betty Boothroyd

People talk often of Brexit as the biggest challenge since the Second World War. It is certainly proving to be a lot…

— Betty Boothroyd

The group For Our Future's Sake will tour key marginal constituencies to ensure first that young people register to vote then, second,…

— Betty Boothroyd

I'm a patriot, but I'm also a European. I think the two go together.

— Betty Boothroyd

You've got to ensure that the holders of an opinion, however unpopular, are allowed to put across their points of view.

— Betty Boothroyd

I say to myself: 'Come on, Betty, you can't have everything in life. You've been very lucky.'

— Betty Boothroyd

Being speaker has afforded me a unique opportunity to serve parliament, for which I am immensely grateful.

— Betty Boothroyd

My dreams of taking the West End by storm as a dancer flickered but then faded; my father's ambition to see me…

— Betty Boothroyd

We don't duck democratic choices out of fear of fascists.

— Betty Boothroyd

It's like miners' coal dust underneath your fingernails. Very difficult to scrub out. I'm a social democrat to my fingertips.

— Betty Boothroyd

We fought big time fascists when I was knee high to a grasshopper up in Yorkshire, when I grew up I fought…

— Betty Boothroyd

My desire to get here [Parliament] was like miners'coal dust, it was under my fingers and I couldn't scrub it out.

— Betty Boothroyd

Do not let anyone get away with the argument that tearing our country out of one of the most successful partnerships in…

— Betty Boothroyd

Whatever your age, think about the young generation. And try to give them back the future being taken from them.

— Betty Boothroyd

The high reputation of Westminster abroad is not entirely reflected at home.

— Betty Boothroyd

There are very good people in the Labour Party who I would like to see in leadership.

— Betty Boothroyd

I think it would have been nice to have a family; it would be nice to have grandchildren.

— Betty Boothroyd

I travelled to Germany to witness for myself what nationalism, populism and the breakdown of peace between the great European nations had…

— Betty Boothroyd

Good temper and moderation are the characteristics of parliamentary language.

— Betty Boothroyd

Already, even before we have left the EU, Brexit is damaging our country, our economy, our society and our standing in the…

— Betty Boothroyd

The function of parliament is to hold the executive to account. We should never overlook the primacy of parliament.

— Betty Boothroyd

If Labour ends up on the scrapheap of history, it will do so because of its own foolishness and self-inflicted wounds. What…

— Betty Boothroyd

Europe needs us just as much as we need Europe and it's time to stop fiddling for a solution, it's time to…

— Betty Boothroyd

As a member of the House of Lords, I don't have a vote. If I did, I would be motivated as much…

— Betty Boothroyd