Last month Gareth welcomed members of the Harrow West Labour Party to the Voice and Vote: Woman’s Place in Parliament exhibition.

The exhibition has been installed in Westminster hall as part of the celebrations to commemorate a 100 years since women in the UK were given the right to vote. The exhibition not only tells the hidden “her-story” of the UK Parliament: the campaigning, the protests and the achievements. It also examines where we are today and shows that anyone can make change happen and exercise their democratic rights.

Jess Philips, MP for Birmingham Yardley, also took time to speak to members, to discuss her role as Chair of the Women’s Parliamentary Labour Party and to discuss the work that still needs to be done in the fight for gender equality.

Gareth said: “It is so important that Harrow West members come and hear the story of this hidden history. It’s been 100 years since our country took that first important step of granting some women the vote and I look forward to joining members on this excellent exhibit in parliament.

Among the items in this innovative exhibition are re-creations of lost historical spaces of the Palace of Westminster, rare and previously unseen historic objects, pictures and archives from the Parliamentary collections and elsewhere.”

The CLPs woman’s officer, who helped to arrange the visit, Cllr Honey Jamie, said: “I’d like to thank Gareth & Jess for their support and for arranging our visit, and for everyone who worked to bring together such a fantastic exhibit. It shows how much was sacrificed by the Suffragettes to achieve the rights we enjoy today.”

Other events will be held to celebrate the Centenary of Woman’s suffrage. These will be held up and down the UK, particularly within the UK Parliament Week.