Orders of the Day — Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Bill.

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 29 March 1928.

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Photo of Mr Samuel Samuel Mr Samuel Samuel , Wandsworth Putney

We are all agreed that women are not unfit to vote. I am in sympathy with them, and I agree that they are perfectly capable of forming an opinion as to their own requirements. I think many of them are ready to admit that their interests have been thoroughly safeguarded under the present regime. Everything that has been necessary to safeguard their interests has been considered and enacted under the present law as to the representation of the people, and I do not know from what quarter this demand or request for the extension of the franchise has come. I, myself, have not come in contact with it. I would like, however, to point out to the House that we are not dealing with parochial questions. We have to deal with great questions of Empire, and with international questions. If we were dealing with the question of a new handle for the parish pump, I quite agree that we should get very good advice and assistance from a larger electorate. But does the House realise that the world is 25,000 miles round, and that we have great interests, both Colonial and foreign, in every part of the territories within that circumference? We are going by this Measure to give to people who know absolutely nothing beyond the village pump—for, after all, how many of these new electors realise the immensity of the British Empire or of British interests outside our Empire?—we are going to give to them the enormous power of regulating the foreign and Colonial policy of this country.

I cannot agree that this is a purely non-political Bill. We know that, when the Socialist party put this Measure in the forefront of their programme at the last General Election, they did so because they thought that it would be of benefit to them. I am not going to discuss that point of view, but we know that those interests which affect the welfare of many of the people whom it is proposed to add to the electorate are not interests which are supported by the party opposite. We know the attitude that they took up when our interests were attacked in China and in other places, but the very livelihood and existence of the people whom it is proposed now to enfranchise depend upon our industries and commerce, and the prosperity of our industries and commerce is everything to those people. We know the arguments against foreign aggression that can be put before people who are not properly informed. The right hon. Gentleman the Member for Platting (Mr. Clynes) has mentioned something about war. We know that there are members of the community who advocate peace at any price, but the policy of peace at any price is a dangerous policy, and may more often lead to war than to peace.

I can only ask the House, if they take any interest in the matter, as I presume they do, to consider that something more than the parish pump is involved in this Bill. We have the interests of a vast Empire, and, while I know that the majority of the Members on this side of the House are reluctant, as I am myself, to vote against the Government, I feel that the pledges of the Government in reference to the amendment of the Parliament Act should be carried out before this Bill comes into operation. I would also say very strongly that there is no real demand for it in the country, and for these reasons, if I can get any Members to act as Tellers, I shall certainly go into the Lobby against this Bill. I once had the, perhaps, very small satisfaction in this House, before the War, of going into the Lobby with one other Member only, Sir Thomas Pearce, and we had as Tellers Sir Charles Henry and the Noble Lord the Member for Oxford University (Lord Hugh Cecil). I shall have no hesitation in going into the Lobby to-night if I can get anyone to tell for me.