London – November 2001. The Duke and Duchess of Calabria called on the Rt Hon Michael Martin, MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, at Speaker’s House at the Palace of Westminster. Mr Martin has been an active and long-standing member of the All-Party Italian Group. Lord and Lady Belhaven and Stenton, Anthony Bailey and the Rev Fr Michael Seed attended the meeting.
Mr Martin is the first Roman Catholic Speaker of the House of Commons since the Reformation. The last Roman Catholic Speaker was Saint Thomas Moore. A Jubilee medal was presented to Mr Speaker to mark the occasion.