F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead

Maiden speech, March 12, 1906 The debut often called the most famous of all, and the plainest case of the gentle-first-speech convention thrown away on purpose. The January 1906 election had crushed the Conservatives, and the new member for Liverpool Walton used a free trade debate to make his speech as offensive to the triumphant Liberal benches as he could, with Lloyd George, then President of the Board of Trade, a chief target. Tim Healy, the Irish Nationalist and a master of invective himself, is said to have sent a note telling him he had beaten Healy at his own game. One sitting turned an unknown barrister into his party's star turn.