Conciliation bills were proposed legislation which would extend the right of women to vote in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to just over a million wealthy, property-owning women. After the January 1910 election, an all-party Conciliation party, consisting of 36 members of parliament and chaired by Lord Lytton,[1] proposed the new Parliamentary Franchise (Women) Bill. Three Conciliation bills were put before the House of Commons, one each year in 1910, 1911 and in 1912, but all failed.
While the Liberal government of H. H. Asquith supported this, a number of backbenchers, both Conservative and Liberal, did not, fearing that it would damage their parties’ success in general elections. Some pro-suffrage groups rejected the Bills because they only gave the vote to propertied women; some Members of Parliament rejected them because they did not want any women to have the right to vote. Liberals also opposed the Bill because they believed that the women whom the bill would enfranchise were more likely to vote Conservative than Liberal.
Prime Minister Asquith agreed to give the bill parliamentary time after pressure from the Cabinet. The Bill passed its first reading. It passed a second reading with 320 for the notion and 175 against on 12 July.[2] However Asquith called a general election on the 18th November 1910, meaning further parliamentary process could not take place. The Women's Social and Political Union saw this as a betrayal, and their protest march became known as Black Friday (1910).
Conciliation Bill 1911edit
The Second Conciliation Bill was debated on 5 May 1911 and won a majority of 255 to 88 as a Private Members Bill.[3] The bill was promised a week of government time. However, in November Asquith announced that he was in favour of a manhood suffrage bill and that suffragists could suggest and propose an amendment that would allow some women to vote.[4] On 21 November 1911, the Women's Social and Political Union carried out an "official window smash" along Whitehall and Fleet Street; its targets included the offices of the Daily Mail and the Daily News and the official residences or homes of leading Liberal politicians. The bill was consequently dropped.
Conciliation Bill 1912edit
The Parliamentary Franchise (Women) Bill was again introduced on 19 February 1912 and set down for Second Reading on 22 March,[5] although the debate was later delayed to 29 March. However this time the Bill was defeated by 208 to 222.[6] The reason for the defeat was that the Irish Parliamentary Party believed that a debate over votes for women would be used to prevent Irish home rule. However the Women's Social and Political Union blamed Asquith, as the eight members of the Government who had voted against the Bill would have overturned the result had they voted the other way.[7]
The Franchise Bill, for universal manhood suffrage, was introduced in 1912 but was strongly criticised, and made no progress.
^"The Conciliation Bill Rejection", The Times, 1 April 1912, p. 6.
External linksedit
Extracts from MPs who debated the passage of the Bill
April 10, 2024
conciliation, bills, conciliation, bills, were, proposed, legislation, which, would, extend, right, women, vote, united, kingdom, great, britain, ireland, just, over, million, wealthy, property, owning, women, after, january, 1910, election, party, conciliatio. Conciliation bills were proposed legislation which would extend the right of women to vote in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to just over a million wealthy property owning women After the January 1910 election an all party Conciliation party consisting of 36 members of parliament and chaired by Lord Lytton 1 proposed the new Parliamentary Franchise Women Bill Three Conciliation bills were put before the House of Commons one each year in 1910 1911 and in 1912 but all failed While the Liberal government of H H Asquith supported this a number of backbenchers both Conservative and Liberal did not fearing that it would damage their parties success in general elections Some pro suffrage groups rejected the Bills because they only gave the vote to propertied women some Members of Parliament rejected them because they did not want any women to have the right to vote Liberals also opposed the Bill because they believed that the women whom the bill would enfranchise were more likely to vote Conservative than Liberal Contents 1 Conciliation Bill 1910 2 Conciliation Bill 1911 3 Conciliation Bill 1912 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksConciliation Bill 1910 editPrime Minister Asquith agreed to give the bill parliamentary time after pressure from the Cabinet The Bill passed its first reading It passed a second reading with 320 for the notion and 175 against on 12 July 2 However Asquith called a general election on the 18th November 1910 meaning further parliamentary process could not take place The Women s Social and Political Union saw this as a betrayal and their protest march became known as Black Friday 1910 Conciliation Bill 1911 editThe Second Conciliation Bill was debated on 5 May 1911 and won a majority of 255 to 88 as a Private Members Bill 3 The bill was promised a week of government time However in November Asquith announced that he was in favour of a manhood suffrage bill and that suffragists could suggest and propose an amendment that would allow some women to vote 4 On 21 November 1911 the Women s Social and Political Union carried out an official window smash along Whitehall and Fleet Street its targets included the offices of the Daily Mail and the Daily News and the official residences or homes of leading Liberal politicians The bill was consequently dropped Conciliation Bill 1912 editThe Parliamentary Franchise Women Bill was again introduced on 19 February 1912 and set down for Second Reading on 22 March 5 although the debate was later delayed to 29 March However this time the Bill was defeated by 208 to 222 6 The reason for the defeat was that the Irish Parliamentary Party believed that a debate over votes for women would be used to prevent Irish home rule However the Women s Social and Political Union blamed Asquith as the eight members of the Government who had voted against the Bill would have overturned the result had they voted the other way 7 The Franchise Bill for universal manhood suffrage was introduced in 1912 but was strongly criticised and made no progress See also editRepresentation of the People Act 1918 included partial enfranchisement of UK women Representation of the People Equal Franchise Act 1928 included full enfranchisement of UK womenReferences edit Woman Suffrage The Times 27 May 1910 p 10 Woman Suffrage The Times 13 July 1910 p 9 Parliament House of Commons Friday May 5 Private Business Women s Enfranchisement Bill The Times 6 May 1911 p 14 Manhood Suffrage Government Bill Next Session Statement By Mr Asquith The Times 8 November 1911 p 8 Hansard HC 5ser vol 34 cols 305 6 Hansard HC 5ser vol 36 col 728 31 The Conciliation Bill Rejection The Times 1 April 1912 p 6 External links editExtracts from MPs who debated the passage of the Bill Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Conciliation Bills amp oldid 1193644285, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
