The first election for Lord Speaker was held on 28 June 2006 and announced on 6 July 2006, after the House of Lords had determined the name, powers and responsibilities of the office following removal of the speakership from Lord Chancellor by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005.
A list of nine candidates for election as the first Lord Speaker was announced on 6 June 2006:[1][2]
| Election of Lord Speaker, 28 June 2006[3] | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Count 1 | Count 2 | Count 3 | Count 4 | Count 5 | Count 6 | Count 7 | Count 8 | ||
| Labour | Baroness Hayman[4] | 201 | 201 | 209 | 215 | 229 | 236 | 248 | 263 | ||
| Independent | Lord Grenfell | 103 | 103 | 106 | 109 | 129 | 147 | 170 | 236 | ||
| Conservative | Viscount Ullswater | 74 | 78 | 79 | 83 | 84 | 103 | 135 | - | ||
| Crossbencher | Countess of Mar | 55 | 56 | 59 | 64 | 66 | 79 | - | - | ||
| Conservative | Lord Elton | 52 | 57 | 58 | 60 | 65 | - | - | - | ||
| Labour | Lord Richard | 45 | 46 | 46 | 46 | - | - | - | - | ||
| Liberal Democrat | Lord Redesdale | 17 | 17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| Conservative | Baroness Fookes | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| Electorate: 702 Valid: 581 Spoilt: 1 Quota: 291 Turnout: 582 | |||||||||||
The result of the election was announced on 4 July 2006, and Baroness Hayman immediately replaced the Lord Chancellor on the Woolsack. The Lord Chamberlain, Lord Luce, was on hand to confirm the approval of the Queen to the election.