The government had other issues they considered more important, such as Ireland protesting violently for the Home Rule and the Trade Unions. In Ireland the Catholics wanted their own rule, so there was an outcry in the country. As Ireland at the time wanted independence from the United Kingdom, as a result the IRA would result to violence. Another factor was that the Trade Union Dockers or mine workers rioted for higher wages and better conditions, resulting in many strikes by coalminers. As well as increasing problems in Europe, with Hitler’s ego and moves, this would eventually start World War 1.
Other reasons given for women not having the vote were that women were too sensitive for the world of politics and wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure. Therefore, giving them the vote would encourage them to neglect their families and develop their careers. Another reason was that women were not rational, being too emotional and weak to be trusted with the vote. They were also not going about getting the vote the right way, showing their unfitness for political power and if given the vote would put the control of the government into female hands, as the population of women was 53%. Women did not fight wars for their country’s so shouldn’t have a say as to what goes in wars. ‘Women were and are destined to make voters rather than to be voters themselves’ as stated in source B by Marie Corelli, as only the undesirable class of women would then have children.
In an attempt, to smooth things out the government did bring to parliament Bills that failed. These known as the Conciliation Bills, only given to women in certain circumstances, e.g. owning property etc. The Conciliation Bill, did not get very far as it was attacked because it was believed it would play in to the hands of the conservative party. However, after failing several times mainly to do with Asquith, in June 1912 the Suffrage bill was introduced.
Another reason that women didn’t get the vote is because they weren’t seen as being responsible enough. As during the failures, of the conciliation bills Suffragette’s responded by being violent and being sent to jail, they would starve themselves, the government countered by ordering them to be force fed. However, in 1913, the government passed an act to allow hunger strikers to leave prison. This being called the ‘Cat and Mouse Act’, this would have got them into the news, but it seemed foolish that someone would risk their life in order to get women the vote. ‘The pain was like having the teeth drawn…. I vomited as the tube came up’ by Sylvia Pankhurst, in 1931.
In a statement by Mrs. Pankhurst she claimed ‘We are driven to this…’ as she had tried everything in her power to peacefully get the vote such as public meetings, larger petitions, facing hostile mobs, therefore the alternative was to force the vote. These other forceful methods were vandalising, refusing taxes, attacking works of art and even an axe being thrown at Herbert Asquith. However, the result was that in 1912 the WSPU split. It was clear that their tactics were actually losing them public support, and they had to alter their ways of gaining support.
The death of Emily Davison, on 5th June 1912, was much unexpected, as at the world- famous horse race she ran onto the course during the running of the Derby and stood in front of the king’s racehorse, the WSPU tried to get maximum propaganda from this incident. Anything which occurred at this event was big news. As at the event, there were also members of the royal family, political leaders and many reporters and photographers at the event.
There were other factors which stopped women from getting the vote. One of these factors was that they were considered to be intellectually inferior. People thought that women didn’t know about politics and thought that they would only vote for reasons such as, the most handsome candidate. Another reason they didn’t get the vote is that they wanted the same rights as men. The Liberals didn’t want this because men were the householders and were more likely to be middle class and therefore more likely to vote Conservative.
It can be seen that there were a number of different reasons which helps to explain why women had not got the vote by 1914 as their tactics of turning to violence wasn’t very shrewd. They weren’t getting anywhere, as there violence alienated support, as well as gaining support. The government also had more important issues, such as the crisis in Europe. Therefore, they did not get the vote by the First World War.
