Votes for Women

1928, 82 years ago, all women finally recieved the vote, all thanks to the incredible women of the Suffragettes. Founded in 1897 by Millicent Fawcett, the Suffragettes fought for the right to vote for women, by 1918 women over 30 obtained the right to vote however it took a further 10 years for all women to recieve the vote under eaual terms as men. The Suffragettes achieved this by using any means necessary. Emmeline Pankhurst said in her autobiography,

 ‘this was the beginning of a campaign the like of which was never known in England, or for that matter in any other country…we interrupted a great many meetings…and we were violently thrown out and insulted. Often we were painfully bruised and hurt’.

In some cases they were more than just bruised and hurt; during their hunger strikes whilst incarcerated they were force fed through tubes and most famously Emily Davidson actually lost her life when at the June 1913 Derby she supposedly through herself under the kings horse and died.

The time to vote is coming up very quickly and the competition between the three major parties Labour, Liberal Democrats and Conservative is very close.

Through all this it must be said that in our current culture we have the responsibilty to vote. I personally am still undecided, however when i do make my descision i will be making the most of this power we now have.