The Women's Social and Political Union

The WSPU did not begin its life as militant movement, but it became gradually more and more militant as members grew frustrated with the government.

When Asquith’s Liberal Party came to power in 1906, the WSPU were hopeful that because of its liberal agenda, the Party would pioneer for political rights for women. When this did not happen, the WSPU resorted to militancy.

Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney brought attention to the cause in 1905 when they disrupted addresses by the most prominent Liberals of the day -  Winston Churchill and Sir Edward Grey. Heckling was frowned upon during political speeches, however, Pankhurst and Kenney bombarded the politicians with questions. They wanted to know Churchill’s and Grey’s stance on women’s rights.

These actions, and others like it, were so shocking because they broke social conventions - women traditionally did not interfere with politics, which was seen as a “man’s world”. Secondly, their actions at the meeting were seen as damaging to the reputation of women seeking political equality in more reserved ways.

Pankhurst and Annie Kenney were arrested for unfurling a sign which read “Votes for Women”. When they refused to pay a fine they were sent to prison. The trial created much interest in the movement, and membership of the WSPU increased as a result.

In 1906 the Liberal Party came to power. It was strongly believed that they would support the campaign for women’s right to vote. However when this proved not to be the case the WSPU began to turn to increasingly militant tactics in order to raise awareness. Acts of disobedience continued and more arrests followed. The Suffragettes, as they had now become known, were becoming increasingly bold, militant, and their campaigning more widespread. However, there was still little advancement in voting rights for women.

Militancy set the WSPU apart from other female movements and some women criticised their radical actions. This alienated some women from the movement. Many working class women were shocked by militant tactics and they turned their backs on movements like the WSPU. The WSPU became the preserve of militant feminists. Therefore, the group lost its much needed popular support. The alienation of the working class explains why the WSPU never became a mass movement.

THe objectives of the WSPU also held it back from achieving widespread support. It was believed that the group was fighting for political equality rather than for complete social and professional equality. To many working class women the slogan "Votes for Women" did not answer their social problems.

The historian Sandra Holton argues that the WSPU lost sight of what its initial objectives, with some fighting for only political equality and others advocating full adult political suffrage regardless of gender.

The militant action of the Women’s Social and Political Union fell into three distinct phases:

1. 1905 to 1908: political meetings were disrupted.
2. 1908 to 1913: the WSPU became more militant in its protests and hunger strikes became a popular tactic.
3. 1913 to 1914: the WSPU increasingly carried out attacks on the personal property of those opposed to women’s suffrage.

When the war broke out in August 1914, the WSPU called a halt to its activities and called on its members to support the government in the War effort. The First World War saw women entering the labour market in unprecedented numbers and in sectors that were previously almost exclusively male.

See also: Sylvia Pankhurst