What Was The Liberal Government’s Reaction To Peaceful Campaigning For Women’s Suffrage Between 1906 And 1914?

The party came to power with a large majority and was, therefore, able to enfranchise women. Historians argue that the Liberals were reluctant to do so for three reasons. Firstly, it was thought that Asquith was hostile to women. Also, the party's majority was gradually whittled down and from 1910 it relied on Labour and the Irish Nationalists to stay in power. It was unwilling, therefore, to jeopardise its term of office. Thirdly, the party had other, more pressing problems to deal with (for instance, the House of Lords, Ireland, the Trade Unions and the European Union). However, these are more likely to have been excuses rather than explanations.

The government did have the chance to enfranchise women but failed to do so. It led the suffragettes believing that the Liberal government was duplicitous. It was not just equivocal but antagonistic. The response of the government to women who broke the law suggests that it was hostile to the cause of votes for women.

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