A Wider Franchise & Suffrage (Edexcel A Level Politics): Revision Note

The franchise

• The franchise refers to the right to vote

• Over the 19th and 20th centuries, Parliament gradually expanded the franchise to include more people across class, gender and age groups

• These reforms made the UK more democratic by ensuring broader political participation

Widening the franchise

The work of the suffragists/suffragettes to extend the franchise

• Two major movements campaigned to win women the vote in the early 20th century

  • The suffragists used peaceful constitutional methods, while the suffragettes used more militant tactics

  • Together, their efforts pushed the issue onto the political agenda and contributed to the 1918 and 1928 franchise reforms

Suffragists (NUWSS - National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies)

• Led by Millicent Fawcett

  • Aimed to achieve votes for women through peaceful and lawful campaigning

  • Used petitions, public speaking, lobbying and local pressure groups

  • Built a broad national network to demonstrate widespread support

  • Their moderate approach made them respectable and influential with MPs

Suffragettes (WSPU - Women’s Social and Political Union)

• Led by Emmeline Pankhurst

  • Used militant and confrontational tactics to force attention onto the issue

  • Organised protests, window-smashing, arson attacks and civil disobedience

  • Members engaged in hunger strikes while imprisoned

  • Kept women’s suffrage in national headlines and increased political pressure

A current movement to extend the franchise

• Debates about extending the franchise continue today

• One of the most prominent modern campaigns is the Votes at 16 movement, which argues that 16–17-year-olds should have the right to vote in all UK elections

Votes at 16 campaign

Who is involved?

• Led by the Votes at 16 Coalition, coordinated by the British Youth Council

• Supported by the National Union of Students (NUS) and other youth and civil society organisations

Successes of the campaign

• 16–17 year-olds were allowed to vote in the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum, achieving a turnout of 75%

• The Scottish and Welsh Governments extended the franchise for:

  • Scottish Parliament elections

  • Welsh Senedd elections

  • Local elections in both nations

• The Labour Party included Votes at 16 in its 2024 General Election manifesto, signalling growing political support

Limitations and challenges

• 16–17-year-olds cannot vote in UK General Elections, which is the main target of the campaign

• Westminster has not legislated to extend the franchise across the UK

• Proposals were not included in the 2024 King’s Speech, indicating no immediate government action

Arguments for and against lowering the voting age to 16