On 6 February 1918, Britain adopted the Representation of the People Act, a historic reform that granted women over the age of 30 the right to vote, provided they met specific property or registration qualifications. The legislation also allowed women to stand for Parliament and extended the franchise to roughly 8.5 million women, marking a decisive turning point in the country’s democratic development.
The act formed part of a broader political transformation that followed the First World War. For decades, suffragists and suffragettes had organised protests, campaigns and public advocacy demanding political equality. During the war, women also took on critical roles in factories, transport, agriculture and public services, strengthening the case for their political inclusion. Parliament responded to mounting social pressure by introducing reforms that reshaped the electoral system and expanded participation.
Despite its importance, the 1918 legislation did not create full equality. Voting rights applied only to women aged over 30 who met property conditions, which meant many younger women – particularly those who had contributed to wartime industry – remained excluded from the democratic process. The reform therefore represented a major step forward, but not the final victory for equal suffrage.
Full electoral equality arrived a decade later with the Equal Franchise Act of 1928. This law granted women the same voting rights as men at the age of 21, completing a long struggle for political representation and cementing a defining milestone in British democratic history.
Also read: On This Day: The sound that made the world “on time” (1924)
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