Early campaigners for the vote. After 73 MPs supported votes for women, suffrage societies were set up. NUWSS was set up in 1897 Millicent Fawcett was the leader. She believed in peaceful methods such as leaflets, petitions, organised meetings would win the vote gained support of some Liberal and Conservatives. Neither parties were prepared to adopt female suffrage as they had bigger worries and issues at the time. Views on suffragettes Suffragists believed you couldn’t claim a democratic right by violent methods such as smashing windows. Conciliation Bill-1911 Asquith agreed to work with the women and produced a Conciliation Bill which Asquith then dropped.

In 1903, the WSPU was founded by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Christabel and Sylvia. Suffragettes were formed because the Pankhurst’s were impatient with peaceful methods of suffragists. In 1905 new methods were experimented with. At a Liberal Government Party meeting, shouting caused police to remove them. Christabel attracted much attention when she was arrested and charged for assault. Publicity showed them that militancy was news and attention. Men weren’t allowed to join and they recruited mainly middle and upper class. They wanted to make women’s suffrage a serious issue- one that the government couldn’t ignore. Their aim was militancy WSPU calls off violence when Asquith agreed to work with them. When Asquith called off the Conciliation Bill, it leads of Black Sunday The went about gaining the vote by smashing windows, bombing churches, setting post boxes on fire, damaging property mainly.

Suffragettes turned to violence because: Peaceful methods unsuccessful Government banned them from meetings to peaceful protest was denied. Government started harsh treatment first

In August 1914, Britain was at war. The Pankhurst's stopped suffrage campaigns and instead encouraged members to supports the war effort. By million more women were at work Preparations for reform started in 1916 when thousands of men lost right to vote as they had been away for <1 year. On the 6 February a Bill stated that : Women over 30 could vote or become and MP All men over 21 could vote. They didn’t have equal rights to men because: MPs worried more women voters Young women were too Irresponsible to vote.