Bernard Weatherill, who died on 6 May, 2007, at the age of 86, was a little-known backbench Tory when first raised to the Commons Speakership by his fellow MPs in 1983.

But displaying an independence of mind that frequently put him at odds with Downing Street, he went on to become one of the great occupants of the Speaker’s chair.

Before entering politics he was a tailor by profession and served in the military with the Royal Dragoon Guards and King George V's Own Lancers, based in Burma and north west Europe during the Second World War.

His trade and relatively humble background provoked the memorable comment from one rather pompous fellow Tory MP that “even my tailor can get elected to this place now.”

Bruce Bernard “Jack” Weatherill, later Lord Weatherill of North East Croydon, was born on 25 November, 1920.

His father, who was descended from Huguenots, had created the family tailoring business in which Lord Weatherill was managing director for 13 years and a director for 40.

He was also a soldier. As a wartime Bengal lancer he learned Urdu, and, with John Biggs Davison and Enoch Powell, was at one time one of three MPs who spoke the language.

He also took up meditation in India and in reaction to the 1942 Bengal famine became a lifelong vegetarian.

His politics, with the exception of a recurring vote for capital punishment, were uniformly moderate and liberal of the kind that was dismissed as “wet” by Lady Margaret Thatcher.

Her dislike of him denied him a ministerial appointment when she came to power in 1979, so he shifted to the post of deputy speaker.

When George Thomas stepped down in 1983 he was viewed as the natural successor by many MPs – but his appointment came in the teeth of Lady Thatcher’s continued opposition.

She attempted to usurp the tradition of the Speaker being the appointment of the Commons and put forward a former minister, Humphrey Atkins, but the move backfired badly with MPs.

Lord Weatherill and Lady Thatcher never made up. He became an object of scorn to rightwing ministers who objected that he protected the Labour leader Neil Kinnock and failed to be “their” man.

But Lord Weatherill's courage in making independent judgments that disobliged a Tory government earned the universal respect of beckbenchers.

After stepping down as Speaker in 1992 he maintained the link to his former constituency, being raised to the peerage as Baron Weatherill of North East Croydon.

Lord Weatherill is survived by his wife Lyn, three children and seven grandchildren.