Votes for Women

Which law gave women the vote?

The Representation of the People Act 1918 gave the vote to women over 30 who owned property. It was later extended to include all women aged over 21.

When did women get the vote?

Women were given the vote in 1918.

When was the vote extended to all women over 21?

In 1928 the right to vote was extended to all women aged over 21.

Why were women given the vote in 1918?

There were three key reasons why women gained the vote:

• ❖ Many women worked to help the war effort between 1914 and 1918, including over 700,000 in munitions factories.
• ❖ The politicians did not want suffragette violence to restart after the war.
• ❖ The suffragists and suffragettes had persuaded many politicians that women should have the vote.

Why were some people against giving women the vote?

There were three key arguments against giving women the vote:

• ❖ Until 1918 not all working men had the vote. The Labour Party was worried that giving women the vote would help the Conservatives.
• ❖ Many men believed that women were not clever or rational enough to vote.
• ❖ Some MPs argued women knew nothing of business and industry and so could not vote properly.

What was the significance of women getting the vote?

Women gaining the vote was significant for four key reasons:

• ❖ Britain became a more democratic country as more people could vote.
• ❖ Despite getting the vote, women did not have equal employment rights.
• ❖ The success of the campaign inspired other campaigns such as that for equal pay. The Equal Pay Act was passed in 1970.
• ❖ Women gained more rights under laws such as the Abortion Act 1967 and the Divorce Act 1969.