Welsh seamstresses to craft suffragette sashes for female MPs ahead of historic parliament photo-call

Emily Price

In a tribute to the legacy of the women’s suffrage movement, a team of Welsh seamstresses are handcrafting bespoke suffragette sashes for each of the 264 female Members of Parliament.

Each sash will bear the iconic purple, white, and green colours of the suffragette movement and will be uniquely embroidered with the recipient’s numerical position in the historical list of women elected to the parliament in Westminster.

The initiative will culminate in a significant photo-call on July 2nd within the historic precincts of the Houses of Parliament.

Progress

The event coincides with the 97th anniversary of the Equal Franchise Act 1928, which granted women the right to vote on the same terms as men.

It’s hoped the sashes will not only commemorate a pivotal moment in British history – but also celebrate the ongoing contributions of women in politics and the arts.

The majority of current female MPs are expected to participate, donning their personalised sashes in a unified display of progress and solidarity.

The project is convened by Centenary Action, a cross-party coalition established in 2018 to mark the centenary of women’s suffrage and to campaign for a gender-equal Parliament by 2028.

Dedication

The group is led by Professor Helen Pankhurst CBE, a prominent women’s rights activist and the granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst and great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst, both leaders in the British suffragette movement.

Professor Pankhurst said: “The sashes were powerful symbols of the suffragettes’ unwavering dedication to securing the vote for women.

“They continue to hold deep significance in the ongoing campaign for equal representation in Parliament.

“We are delighted that this group of Welsh seamstresses will be contributing to such an important and historic gathering of all women MPs, marking the anniversary of women gaining the right to vote on the same terms as men.”

The seamstresses will journey from Wales to London on the morning of the event, with their travel supported by Great Western Railway.

Newport East MP Jessica Morden will add a personal touch to the project by joining some of the seamstresses this weekend to assist in crafting her own sash.

Proud

She said: “I am so proud that these sashes are being crafted by a group of incredibly skilled Newport women here in Newport East at Re:Make, and I’m especially pleased to have been able to get involved in making my own.

“Seeing the 264 women MPs wearing their sashes together on 2 July will be quite something.

“It will be a testament to how far we’ve come since the Equal Franchise Act of 1928, which gave women over the age of 21 the right to vote.

“This event will also serve as a fitting tribute to all the suffragettes who fought and suffered to ensure that all women could have their say in how the country is run.

“The number 264 represents around 40% of the total Members of Parliament. This shows there is still much work to do to achieve a truly representative Parliament in which 50% of MPs are women.

“Thanks to the work of groups like Centenary Action, that goal will one day be realised.

“Thank you to Centenary Action for bringing this project together, and to the utterly brilliant Katie at Re:Make for working so hard with the sewing group volunteers to make all of these sashes from scratch.”