1918day.year
Constance Markievicz, while detained in Holloway prison, becomes the first woman to be elected Member of Parliament (MP) to the British House of Commons.
While imprisoned in Holloway, Constance Markievicz was elected as the first female MP to the British House of Commons in 1918.
Constance Markievicz, an Irish nationalist and suffragette, achieved a historic milestone on December 28, 1918, when she won a seat in the British House of Commons. She campaigned from her cell in Holloway Prison while advocating for Irish independence and women's rights. Markievicz represented the Dublin St Patrick's constituency, becoming the first woman ever elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom. In line with Sinn Féin's abstentionist policy, she did not take her seat at Westminster. Her election symbolized both the Irish struggle for self-governance and the advancing cause of women's political participation. Markievicz’s victory inspired future generations of female leaders across Ireland and Britain.
1918
Constance Markievicz
Member of Parliament
British House of Commons