Wider Franchise & Suffrage

Franchise/suffrage

• Suffrage, or having the franchise, is the right and ability to engage in politics and vote in an election.

• “Extending” the franchise means increasing the number of people who can vote in elections.

1832 Great Reform Act

• Before, only 400,000 people were included in the franchise

• Many rotten boroughs were abolished, and representation was given to urban areas like Manchester.

• In the counties, more people were given the franchise, like tenant farmers.

• The Act gave the vote to middle class people in the boroughs, such as small landowners and shopkeepers.

• Most working men could not vote still because the Act still required property.

1918 Representation of the People Act

• The 1918 Act let women vote in general elections.

  • Women who were married, owned property, or graduates, and aged over 30 were given the vote

• All men aged over 21 were given the vote

• The 1918 Act was passed by the wartime coalition government.

• The act passed partly because of pressure to give the vote to working class men without property who had served their country in the army.

1928 Rep of the People Act

• The 1928 Act extended suffrage to all women.

• The 1928 Act was passed under a Conservative government.

1969 Representation of the People Act

• The 1969 Act extended suffrage to people under 21, after attitudes towards adulthood changed in the UK.

• The 1969 Act was passed under a Labour government.

Suffragettes

• Suffragettes such as the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) used direct action and militant methods to show the urgency of women’s suffrage.

  • Militant methods included setting fire to buildings, attacking post boxes, and attempting to hurt politicians.

• Campaigners were imprisoned for their actions.

  • Suffragettes in prison went on hunger strike and were force-fed.

  • These actions made their struggle public, and many people criticised the Liberal government.

Suffragists

Suffragists tried to achieve the vote using peaceful methods, trying to get a bill passed in the Houses of Parliament.

• Suffragists tried to organise cross-party support and convince and lobby politicians of the importance of female suffrage.

• Suffragists used peaceful demonstrations and gathered support with petitions.

• Suffragists were successful in getting bills to parliament, but none were made into law

Debates over suffrage

• Some historians have argued that the Suffragettes were too militant in their actions and actually hindered their cause by alienating the government.

• Some historians argue that Suffragists were more effective because they used peaceful methods, and their contribution to suffrage has been underappreciated.

Votes at 16

16- and 17-year-olds cannot currently vote in UK-wide elections. There have been campaigns to make the voting age 16.

• The Votes at 16 Coalition is a group run by several different campaign groups, such as the National Union of Students (NUS) and The British Youth Council.

Arguments for votes at 16

• Supporters argue that 16-18-year-olds can pay income tax and join the army, but are not represented in parliament.

• Young people are taught about citizenship and politics in school, so are educated about politics.

Arguments against votes at 16

• Opposers argue that under 18s are not mature enough to make political decisions.

• Few countries allow votes at 16.

• Youth turnout is usually low in elections, so under 18 turnout isn't expected to be different.

Political support

• The issue was brought to parliament in 2008 in a private member’s bill sponsored by Julie Morgan, but the bill ran out of time in parliament.

• The movement has had some success, 16-18s were able to vote in the Scottish Independence Referendum.

• All major UK parties support votes at 16 apart from the Conservatives.