Rosemary Janet Mair Butler (born 21 January 1943) is a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 politician and Labour

Wales Labour Party

Welsh Labour is the part of the United Kingdom Labour Party that operates in Wales. Labour is the largest and most successful political party in modern Welsh politics, having won the largest share of the vote at every UK General Election since 1922, every Welsh Assembly election since 1999, and...

 Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Newport West

Newport West (National Assembly for Wales constituency)

Newport West is a constituency of the National Assembly for Wales. It elects one Assembly Member by the first past the post method of election...

 since 1999. Serving briefly as Assembly Secretary for Education in the first two years of the Assembly, she was elected Deputy Presiding Officer of the Assembly in May 2007. She is currently Presiding Officer of the Assembly

Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales

The Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales is the Speaker of the National Assembly for Wales, elected by the Members of the National Assembly for Wales to chair their meetings ; to maintain order; and to protect the rights of Members.He or she also heads the Corporate Body of the...

, following her election in May 2011.

Family

Rosemary Butler was born in Much Wenlock

Much Wenlock

Much Wenlock, earlier known as Wenlock, is a small town in central Shropshire, England. It is situated on the A458 road between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Nearby, to the northeast, is the Ironbridge Gorge, and the new town of Telford...

, Shropshire

Shropshire

Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...

 then her family moved to Bargoed Rhymney Valley

Rhymney Valley

The Rhymney Valley is a valley encompassing the villages of Abertysswg, Fochriw, Pontlottyn, Tirphil, New Tredegar, Aberbargoed, Rhymney, and Ystrad Mynach, and the towns of Bargoed and Caerphilly, in south-east Wales, formerly famous for its coal mining and iron industries.-Geography:Created as a...

 soon after. As a teenager she moved to Newport

Newport

Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...

 with her parents (Godfrey and Gwen McGrath) and brother John there she attended St Julian's High School. In the early sixties she met her husband Derek Butler, whom she married in 1966, he was a lecturer in art and design at Newport Art college, Which was at the time based in Clarence Place, and they have two daughters Kate(1968)and Alice(1970).

Local politics

In 1971 Butler joined the Labour Party

Wales Labour Party

Welsh Labour is the part of the United Kingdom Labour Party that operates in Wales. Labour is the largest and most successful political party in modern Welsh politics, having won the largest share of the vote at every UK General Election since 1922, every Welsh Assembly election since 1999, and...

. She was elected to Newport Borough Council from Caerleon

Caerleon

Caerleon is a suburban village and community, situated on the River Usk in the northern outskirts of the city of Newport, South Wales. Caerleon is a site of archaeological importance, being the site of a notable Roman legionary fortress, Isca Augusta, and an Iron Age hill fort...

 ward in 1973, and played an important part in Labour administrations on the council as Deputy Leader and Mayor of Newport

Mayor of Newport

The Mayor of Newport is the civic figurehead and first citizen of the city of Newport in the United Kingdom. The position is now largely ceremonial, but it still has high-profile rôle in maintaining and promoting the interests of the city and its people...

 in 1989-90. She was Chair of the Leisure Services Committee for 12 years.

National Assembly

At the first Assembly election in 1999, Butler was selected as Labour candidate for Newport West

Newport West (National Assembly for Wales constituency)

Newport West is a constituency of the National Assembly for Wales. It elects one Assembly Member by the first past the post method of election...

 which she won. She was appointed Assembly Secretary for Education: Minister for Children and Young People (up to 16) by Alun Michael

Alun Michael

Alun Edward Michael is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth since 1987. He was formerly First Minister of Wales and leader of the Welsh Labour Party from 1999 to 2000.-Education:Michael was born at Bryngwran Anglesey, son of...

 but held office only for a year, leaving in October 2000 when the new First Minister Rhodri Morgan

Rhodri Morgan

Hywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...

 formed a coalition government.

She was Chair of the Assembly's Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Committee and served on the Panel of Chairs. She led the British Council

British Council

The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...

 activities in the Assembly and also represents the Assembly on the European Committee of the Regions

Committee of the Regions

The Committee of the Regions is European Union's assembly of local and regional representatives that provides sub-national authorities with a direct voice within the EU's institutional framework....

 (CoR) where she is a member of the Bureau (executive) of the Committee.

Presiding Officer and Deputy Presiding Officer

on May 9, 2007 she was picked as the Labour group's nominee for Deputy Presiding Officer of the Assembly, a position vacant by the defeat of the previous holder and which had to be held by a member from a different party to the Presiding Officer. Her election by the whole of the Assembly was not opposed.

Butler was appointed the second Presiding Officer of the Assembly on May 11, 2011, following Dafydd Elis-Thomas

Dafydd Elis-Thomas

Dafydd Elis Elis-Thomas, Baron Elis-Thomas, PC, AM, is a Welsh politician and was the Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales until 2011...

, PC

Privy Council of the United Kingdom

Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...

, AM.

Personal interests

Among her many interests, Butler is:

• An Honorary Fellow of the University of Wales, Newport
• Co-founder and Chair of the Newport International Competition for Young Pianists
• An Honorary Citizen of Newport's twin town Kutaisi in the Republic of Georgia and founding member of the Newport-Kutaisi Twinning Association
• President of the Friends of Newport Transporter Bridge
• President of the Wales Home Safety Council
• President of Newport Harriers Athletic Club
• Honorary Life Member of Newport Sports Council
• Life Member of Newport Cricket Club
• Founder member of the Friends of Tredegar House
• Ambassador for Girl Guiding
• Founder member of Newport Women's Aid
• Member of Women's International League of Peace and Freedom
• Patron of Caerleon Arts Festival
• Chairwoman of Newport Women's Forum

Offices held