As we mark 100 years since the first women gained the right to vote, Kelly Tolhurst MP is inviting everyone in Rochester and Strood to get involved in UK Parliament Week and play a part in our thriving democracy.
Already, Kelly has received confirmation that a number of schools and groups from across the area are taking part in celebrations, including Girl Guides and Rochester Independent School.
UK Parliament Week is a UK-wide festival taking place from 12-18 November, which aims to engage people, especially young people, from different backgrounds and communities, with the UK Parliament and empower them to get involved.
UK Parliament Week is part of the UK Parliament’s Vote 100 programme, celebrating equal voting rights and other milestones in the UK’s democratic history. A record high of 32% women MPs were elected to the House of Commons in 2017’s General Election. There is further to go in encouraging diversity; UK Parliament invites people of all backgrounds to have a say in their democracy.
Other centenaries coming up this year include the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act which gave women over 21 the right to stand for election as an MP (21 November) and the 1918 General Election when women over 30 and all men over 21 voted for the first time (14 December).
Kelly Tolhurst MP said,
“As the Member of Parliament for my lifelong home of Rochester and Strood I welcome the involvement of people in our community during UK Parliament Week 2018 – this is a big celebration to those who have shaped the free society we have today.
“I want to ensure that our voters and citizens of tomorrow understand how vital their participation is in our democracy, and I’m excited to see so many schools, Girl Guides, Scouts and local groups taking part.”
“As well as those who have informed me of their own celebrations, I invite any other school or group to share with me their activities and photographs this week.”
In 2017, UK Parliament Week reached more than 360,000 people, with over 4,500 events. This year’s UK Parliament Week festival is the largest ever and will see more than 7,000 registered events with over 500,000 people taking part.