The Next Phase
As the Astor 100 project, which commemorated the centenary of Nancy Astor’s election as the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons, comes to a close, we now shift our focus to another significant milestone in Britain’s democratic history: the Representation of the People (Equal franchise) Act 1928. This Act established equal suffrage by granting the right to vote to all women and men over the age of 21, transforming the political landscape and reshaping our concept of democracy.
The 2028 Centenary Project will commemorate this milestone by advancing new research, promoting opportunities for public engagement, and fostering new dialogue about the legacy of equal suffrage. Through events, publications, and collaborative initiatives, the project will consider the historical significance of 1928 and the ongoing relevance to contemporary debates around citizenship and who should have the right to vote.
Updates
This site will be updated regularly with news of forthcoming activities and resources. We invite you to return for the latest developments as the project unfolds in the lead-up to the centenary of equal suffrage. In the meantime, PhD student and specialist researcher on the political landscape of the 1920s, Abbie Tibbott, has developed some informative resources about the 1928 Act, which can be found here.
For additional reading on the Equal Franchise: Mari Takayanagi, ‘Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928 in Rosemary Auchmuty, Erika Rackley and Mari Takayanagi (eds.), Women’s Legal Landmarks in the Interwar Years: Not for want of trying ( Hart, 2024) 181-188