Speaker of the House of Commons In 1983 Weatherill was chosen by his fellow Members of Parliament as the Speaker of the House of Commons. It was generally well known at the time that he was not the first choice of the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, but his appointment otherwise seems to have been a popular one. Although his relations with Mrs Thatcher were to have been strained at times, he quickly gained a reputation for being fair and evenhanded. This is particularly true with back-benchers whose rights to speak in debates he protected when possible. He was re-elected as Speaker in 1987 following the General Election, and managed to stave off an attempts from within the Conservative Party to replace him in 1988. His relationship with John Major as Prime Minister was an easier one and his position continued on an easy footing until the General Election of 1992 when he resigned. 1983-1992