Theresa Villiers, Member of Parliament for Chipping Barnet, visited Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School in High Barnet yesterday as part of the Vote 100 celebrations to mark the centenary of the Representation of the People Act 1918 which gave votes to women for the first time. Ms Villiers was taking part in a visit to the Chipping Barnet constituency by the Minister for the Constitution, Chloe Smith MP.
Theresa Villiers and Chloe Smith met with the school’s Headteacher Mrs Walker and a number teachers and students. The two MPs gave speeches acknowledging the significance of the commemorations. Afterwards the students talked about the work they had been doing on democratic engagement as part of their studies.
Theresa Villiers said “It has been a real honour to be able to visit the QE Girls’ school as part of the Vote 100 celebrations. The fantastic work that the students at QE Girls’ School have done around democratic engagement serves as a tribute to those who campaigned for the right of women to have their voices heard.”
“The 1918 Representation of the People Act was a momentous moment in British political history. It took a further ten years for the franchise to be extended to all women on the same basis men, but it is still important to celebrate this centenary. We should use it as an opportunity to persuade more women to get involved in politics and stand for election. We should also remember that there are still many men and women around the world who have no right to vote.”
Vote 100 is part of the nationwide celebrations of the 1918 Representation of the People Act of Parliament that first extended the right to vote to women in the United Kingdom.