Baroness Betty Boothroyd to sell jacket and shoes she wore in House of Commons - so she can buy new garage door

The 91-year-old is auctioning off the clothing she wore during her eight years as the only woman speaker of the Commons after recently moving house.

Back in April she revealed she was selling a haul of gifts she received during her political career because they wouldn't fit in her new cottage.

The items - which included a papier-mâché box late Russian president Boris Yeltsin gave to her - fetched more than £4,000 when they went under the hammer.

Baroness Boothroyd is now parting with some of her wardrobe in order to raise funds for a new garage door after downsizing from her London home to a small cottage in South Cambridgeshire.

The single-breasted black jacket and smart black shoes worn by the formidable politician during her time in the Commons are expected to fetch more than £2,000.

The jacket is made by Ede and Ravenscroft Ltd, London’s oldest tailor and robe maker, and is estimated to sell for between £1,000 and £2,000.

The pair of size 5 Tiffany of London court shoes could fetch £200 to £300 when they go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers, in London, on September 25.

Chris Kirkham, associate director of Hansons London, said: “Baroness Boothroyd is a national treasure and she wore these items when she was Madam Speaker, which makes them part of Britain’s political history.

"She served as speaker from 1992 to 2000 and built a formidable reputation for her ability to keep order. Hansons London held a successful sale of around 70 items belonging to the baroness earlier this year when she was downsizing.

"She is a wonderful lady and always makes me smile. She told me any money raised from the sale of the Madam Speaker shoes and jacket would go towards a new garage door.”

The treasures she previously parted with included two Victorian crystal chandeliers and a decanter from the Royal Navy.

A limited-edition ceramic figure of Lawrence of Arabia riding on a camel, which is one of only six ever made, made £1,250 back in May.

The 20th century box given to the baroness as a gift by Boris Yeltsin, soared to £2,400 – 48 times its £50 estimate.

The former West Bromwich MP said at the time: "It was very hard for me to part with some of the treasures I had built up over my lifetime and political career but, due to the need to downsize, I simply hadn’t got room for everything anymore.

“I’ve cherished every single thing but I had to let go. They were a reminder of a colourful life."

Baroness Boothroyd was born in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, in 1929, the only child of Ben Archibald Boothroyd and wife Mary, both textile workers.

She was educated at council schools and went on to study at Dewsbury College of Commerce and Art.

From 1946 to 1952, she worked as a dancer and performed at the London Palladium. However, a foot infection, brought an end to her dancing career, and she entered politics.

Running for the Labour Party, Baroness Boothroyd contested several seats before being elected MP for West Bromwich in 1973.

In 1992 she was elected Speaker of the House of Commons, the first woman ever to hold the position in 700 years.

She has received numerous awards and accolades but is most proud of her Order of Merit, an honour bestowed as a personal gift by the Queen.

She has also mixed with world leaders such as South Africa’s Nelson Mandela and former American president Bill Clinton.