United Kingdom

House of Lords

Political system: Parliamentary system
Structure of parliament: Bicameral
IPU membership: Yes

Historical data on women

Data on women’s right to vote and to stand for election, the date at which the first woman entered parliament, and female Heads of State or Government

Women's suffrage

Notes: No information available
Year of first woman in parliament: 1918

Notes: 1918: The first woman elected to the House of Commons at a general election, Countess Constance Markiewicz, refused to take her seat in Parliament together with other elected members of her Party, Sinn Fein, as a protest at British policy in Ireland; on 15 November 1919, another woman was elected during by-elections
Year of first woman speaker: 1992

Women’s right to vote

Women’s right to vote: 1918
National or local: National
Restricted or universal suffrage: Restricted
Detail of restrictions: Women over 30

Women’s right to vote: 1928
National or local: National
Restricted or universal suffrage: Universal

Notes: Full voting equality with men. Age restriction lowered to 21 and now 18

Women’s right to stand for election

Women's right to stand for election: 1918
National or local: National
Restricted or universal: Restricted
Detail of restrictions: Women over 30 only

Women's right to stand for election: 1928
National or local: National
Restricted or universal: Universal