<P> During the wars select group of parliamentary leaders decided on a policy that would expand the suffrage to all men, and to most women . Prime Minister Asquith, an opponent, was replaced in late 1916 by David Lloyd George, a longtime supporter of woman suffrage . </P> <P> During the war, a serious shortage of able - bodied men ("manpower") occurred, and women were required to take on many of the traditional male roles . With the approval of the labour unions, "dilution" was agreed upon . Complicated factory jobs handled by skilled men were diluted or simplified so that they could be handled by less skilled men and women . The result was a large increase in women workers, concentrated in munitions industries of highest priority to winning the war . This led to a new view of what a woman was capable of doing, at the same time the anti-suffrage hostility caused by pre-war militant tactics declined . All the major women's groups strongly supported the war effort . Pacifism existed on the left of politics, especially in the trade unions, but did not play a major role in creating opposition to women's suffrage . Until now suffrage was based on occupational qualifications of men . Millions of women were now meeting those occupational qualifications, which in any case were so old - fashioned that the consensus was to remove them . For example, a male voter who joined the Army might lose the right to vote, which was an intolerable result . In early 1916, suffragist organizations privately agreed to downplay their differences, and resolve that any legislation increasing the number of votes should also enfranchise women . Local government officials proposed a simplification of the old system of franchise and registration, and the Labour cabinet member in the new coalition government, Arthur Henderson, called for universal suffrage, with an age cutoff of 21 for men and 25 for women . Most male political leaders showed anxiety about having a female majority in the new electorate . Parliament turned over the issue to a new Speakers Conference, a special committee from all parties from both houses, chaired by the Speaker . They began meeting in October 1916, in secret . A majority of 15 to 6 supported votes for some women; by 12 to 10, it agreed on a higher age cut off for women . Women leaders accepted a cutoff age of 30 in order to get the vote for most women . </P> <P> Finally in 1918, Parliament passed an act granting the vote to women over the age of 30 who were householders, the wives of householders, occupiers of property with an annual rent of £ 5, and graduates of British universities . About 8.4 million women gained the vote . In November 1918, the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 was passed, allowing women to be elected into the House of Commons . By 1928 the consensus was that votes for women had been successful . With the Conservative Party in full control in 1928, it passed the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act that extended the voting franchise to all women over the age of 21, granting women the vote on the same terms as men . </P> <P> Emmeline Pankhurst was a key figure gaining intense media coverage of the women's suffrage movement . Her turn to violence, in the analysis of most historians, weakened and delayed the suffrage cause . Pankhurst, alongside her two daughters, Christabel and Sylvia, founded and led the Women's Social and Political Union, an organisation which was focused on direct action to win the vote . Her husband, Richard Pankhurst, also supported women suffrage ideas since he was the author of the first British woman suffrage bill and the Married Women's Property Acts in 1870 and 1882 . After her husband's death, Emmeline decided to move to the forefront of the suffrage battle . Along with her two daughters, Christabel Pankhurst and Sylvia Pankhurst, she joined the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS). With her experience with this organisation, Emmeline founded the Women's Franchise League in 1889 and the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1903 . Frustrated with years of government inactivity and false promises, the WSPU adopted a militant stance, which was so influential it was later imported into suffrage struggles worldwide, most notably by Alice Paul in the United States . After many years of struggle and adversity, women finally gained suffrage but Emmeline died shortly after this . </P>

When did women's suffrage start in england