on a finance bill. She furiously remarked to the Speaker that "Parliament is turning into a dictatorship, and I protest about it." Ward refused to relent and was escorted out the chamber by the serjeant-at-arms. She quipped: "Do you want my right or my left arm?" Ward retired from the Commons in February 1974, having served a total of almost 38 years. She was the longest-serving female MP until that record was broken by Gwyneth Dunwoody in 2007. Aged 79 at her retirement, Ward was at that time also the oldest-ever serving female Member of Parliament and the oldest-ever woman to be re-elected, records not broken until Ann Clwyd achieved both in 2017. Honours She was created a life peer as Baroness Ward of North Tyneside, of North Tyneside in the County of Tyne and Wear, on 23 January 1975. Ward was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1929 and promoted to Dame Commander (DBE) in 1955, and was appointed a Companion of Honour in 1973. See also Women in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom References External links Catalogue of the papers of Irene Ward, Baroness Ward of North Tyneside, 1860-1980 The Peerage website Irene Ward on the UK Parliament website 1895 births 1980 deaths Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Life peeresses created by Elizabeth II Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire Members of the Order of the Companions of Honour People from Tynemouth Politicians from Tyne and Wear People from Wallsend Place of death missing UK MPs 1931–1935 UK MPs 1935–1945 UK MPs 1950–1951 UK MPs 1951–1955 UK MPs 1955–1959 UK MPs 1959–1964 UK MPs 1964–1966 UK MPs 1966–1970 UK MPs 1970–1974 UK MPs who were granted peerages 20th-century British women politicians 20th-century English women 20th-century English people