The Womens Suffrage Campaign

Women had begun to make a small amount of progress in legal and educational terms during the mid-19th century. They also began to break into more professional trades and clerical work, which lead to the issue of women's right to vote. Most women seeked a similar reform to the 'Great Reforming Act' of 1867 which gave all 'home-owning' men the right to vote. This was initially rejected, but was seen as the start of women becoming more politically recognised

- 1869 allowed to vote in municipal boroughs (own town councils
- 1870 could be elected onto school boards
- 1875 could be poor law guardians in work houses
- 1889 included in local government franchise, but couldn't be in office

The Suffrage groups were divided into three main societies
- The NSWS was the National Society for Womens Suffrage, an amalgamation of local suffrage groups and the first properly organised group to be formed. They split in 1880 in either becoming affliate to the Liberals or independent, althought they eventually reformed.
- The NUWSS or National Union of Womens Suffrage Societies, with 400 branches up and down britain and became a pressure group. Some argued for immediate franchise on similar terms as the Great Reformation Act (home owning women), whilst others wanted all over the age of 21 to vote, franchise for everybody
- The WSPU, led by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters christabel/sylvia. Pankhurst broke the WSPU's connection with the liberals from her husband (a Liberal campaigner) to side with the ILP and push for suffrage. The Womens Political and Social Union had difficulties as the ILP itself was split over the issue as the working class were very conservative in view over women. Some leaders such as Keir Hardie wanted immediate action whilst others like Snowden wished to wait. The TU's were particularly hostile to suffrage. Keir Hardie went as far as a private members bill for suffrage. Though this failed, the WSPU worked with the ILP until the ILP members rejected their help or expected members to make tea at the meetings, and so Emmeline Pankhurst saw it was time to split.

The Liberals in 1906 were also divided over the issue, with Gladstonian principles of outright denying women's franchise to the radicals of Lloyd George. This was also a discentive, as the conservative working class would vote anti-liberal and pro-unionist. The Liberals had no intention, they just allowed women to sit on local councils instead. This is the point of where militancy set in and the WSPU turned to violence such as burning churches, attacking property and destruction of mail (filling letters with pepper to represent the irritation of lack of progress) The government had to take a harsh line, and the imprisonment of the 'suffragettes' led to hunger strikes. This was embarrassing for the liberals, and yet again like the Constitutional crisis, found no room to manoeuvre. The Cat and Mouse Act was also seen as inhuman in which suffragettes would be arrested, and then released when closed to death due to hunger strike, and so when the campaigner was healthy again, would be re-arrested.

What followed was the Conciliation Bill after the WSPU called a truce hoping for a bill. The WSPU welcomed the bill, which would give 8% of women the vote, but it was doomed as Asquith was against it, as this was seen as giving in to militancy and even Lloyd George refused as he and other liberals thought the most conservative women would have the vote and ruin liberal chances. Sylvia Pankhurst, the very socialist daughter was against for a similar reason.

The Bill's failure, meant an end of truce and so mass demonstration and fresh violent episodes followed. Asquith then announced a 'Franchise Bill for 1914' and violence followed up until the outbreak of WW1, in which women's work was a neccessity. Asquith is said to be blamed as he put all hopes of a conciliation bill away, and until the Representation of the People Act in 1918, this would not change.

SUMMARY
Women small amount of progress, Local Voting and government/Poor law guardians. Only house holding men could vote, and so Suffrage Groups began to appear.
NSWS - local amalgamation of interests for women. First social group, though split and affliated to liberals or independent
NUWSS - 400 branches up and down britain, a pressure group. Some wanted full franchise whilst others wanted just equal rights to the reforming act. Millicent Fawcett
WSPU - First a suffragist like other two, split links from liberals to ILP. However ILP split in opinion, especially TU's. Hardie put a PMB forward even, and continued to work with WSPU until they couldn't stand treatment. Sylvia, Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst.

Liberals also split, older liberals completely against whilst 'New liberal' radicals wanted to give women the vote (DLG), but even they saw it was unpopular with conservative working class. Liberals just gave community boards instead. WSPU feeling campaigning was going nowhere turned to force, burning railways and churches, and attacking ministers. Gov took harsh line, arresting which led to hunger strikes and the 'Cat and Mouse Act', embarrassing for gov. Libs promised Conciliation Bill, to give 8% women the vote, WSPU put violence on hold

Vote failed, as Asquith was against it as giving into violence. Even LG decline for voting reason plus only 'conservative women' might ruin chances. This saw the end, Violence continued up until 1914 where a 'Franchise Bill was proposed but this did not happen due to the first world war'