The Representation of the People Act 1928

The Representation of the People Act 1928: Completing the Journey to Equal Voting Rights

The Representation of the People Act 1928 was a defining milestone in the history of British democracy, following multiple franchise Acts in the previous century. Building on the changes made by the 1918 Act, which had enfranchised all men over 21 and some women over 30 who met property qualifications, the 1928 Act granted the vote to all women aged 21 and over, on the same terms as men, for the very first time. This reform added around five million women to the electoral roll and established, for the first time, the principle of universal adult suffrage in Britain. This legislation could not have been passed without the work of the very first female MPs to take their seats during the 1920s, as they continued to lobby for equal political citizenship throughout the decade.

By removing the last legal distinctions between male and female voters, the Act reshaped what it meant to be a political citizen in Britain. Voting was no longer a privilege tied to gender, property, or social status; it became a fundamental right of all adult members of the nation. This shift reflected wider changes in society, following gradual, but significant movements to encompass women into public life. Although this Act removed the last legal barrier to equal franchise, it did not resolve all issues regarding political citizenship.

The years between 1918 and 1928 saw the first women enter Parliament, with Nancy Astor becoming the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons in 1919. The presence of women MPs made visible the wider political changes taking place, and challenged the androcentric space of Parliament for the first time. Although small in number, these women worked cross-party on a variety of issues concerning women and children, assisting in the passage of a variety of welfare reforms, alongside the fight for equal franchise.