Dear Sir,

This year marks the hundredth anniversary of women taking the first step to get the vote. On the 16th of February 1918, five years after the death of Emily Wilding Davidson under the kings horse as at the Epsom Derby, certain groups of women were allowed to vote, but it wasn’t until 10 years later women were given the same voting rights as men.

A hundred years on and women are still campaigning for equality in many areas, such as political representation, pay equality, and corporate leadership roles. Research by the House of Commons Library in March 2017 revealed that under this Tory government, 86% of the burden of its failed austerity tax and benefit policies have been born by women.

In total, the analysis estimated that the cuts will have cost women a total of £79bn since 2010, against £13bn for men. It’s no wonder then, that at the last general election, Labour increased its vote share much more amongst women than men.

I occasionally talk to people who think politics is something that doesn’t affect them, and voting is a waste of time, but political decisions affect pretty much every aspect of our lives and democracy does work, but it only works if enough people engage with it.

It’s a hundred years since women first voted, sometimes sacrificing everything they had to win the right to be represented, and a hundred years on women are still fighting for equality and still being hit hardest by political decisions made in Westminster, but we can change this by making sure our voices are heard, by making sure we are registered to vote so we are ready to speak through the ballot box and have a say in the future we want to see.

This year the Labour party has launched its #TheNextStep campaign for gender equality, to make sure women finally achieve the equal representation we are entitled to. From family support to better pay and representation at work – Labour always has been, and always will be, the party for women.

So please register to vote, then join the Labour Party and take the next step with us to create a more equal society for the many, not for the few. You can find out more about Labour’s Next Step campaign at https://labour.org.uk/page/the-next-step/

Cllr Kathy Beetham