May to consider suffragettes’ pardon
Excusing crimes will not be straightforward, says May while others want radical law-breaking remembered
Suffragettes could be posthumously pardoned after Theresa May said the Government would look into whether women who fought for the right to vote could be exused of their crimes. However, some campaigners said that excusing suffragettes’ crimes would diminish the memory of the sacrifices they made. The Prime Minister said encouraging more women into public life would be a good way to honour their memory.
SUFFRAGETTES could be posthumously pardoned for their crimes in the campaign to win women the vote, the Prime Minister has said, but the process might be difficult.
Speaking in Manchester, Theresa May said Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, would look into whether women who fought for the right to vote can be excused of their crimes.
She appeared to take aim at some of her male colleagues, accusing men of “broadcasting” their own opinions instead of listening to others.
The campaign to grant suffragettes a royal pardon sparked debate yesterday, as some warned that excusing the suffragettes’ crimes would diminish the radicalism they displayed to win the vote.
Mrs May said that a good way to honour their memory would be by encouraging more women into public life.
Ms Rudd said Turing’s Law, which pardoned thousands of gay and bisexual men convicted of now-abolished sexual offences – including Alan Turing, the World War Two code-breaking genius – had set a precedent.
She told Radio 4’s Today programme: “I understand where it’s coming from… but it is complicated because if you’re going to give a legal pardon for things like arson and violence, it’s not as straightforward as people think it might be. But I will certainly look at proposals.”
More than 1,000 suffragettes were imprisoned during their campaign to win the vote for women before the Representation of the People Act permitted some women over 30 the right in 1918.
Campaigners, including the families of those who were jailed and the Fawc- ett Society, which promotes gender equality, have backed calls for pardons to acknowledge that women were often locked up for political reasons.
Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, and Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, have backed the calls.
However, Caroline Criado Perez, the writer who campaigned to have Jane Austen on the new £5 notes, said: “They did break the law. They did so knowingly. They celebrated their war wounded with badges and pins and sashes.”
♦ Tesco could face the UK’S largest ever equal pay claim from mainly female shop workers, it was reported last night. The demand could cost £4billion in back pay, and affect 200,000 workers, the Guardian said. Tesco said it was yet to receive any details of a claim.
‘Pardoning them now whitewashes their radicalism, and that is wrong. They did break the law’