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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/feb/04/shambolic-womens-groups-accuse-government-over-vote-centenary-funding
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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| 'Shambolic': women's groups accuse government over vote centenary funding | 'Shambolic': women's groups accuse government over vote centenary funding |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Just 4% of money for grassroots groups allocated in time for anniversary of 1918 suffrage act | Just 4% of money for grassroots groups allocated in time for anniversary of 1918 suffrage act |
| Alexandra Topping | Alexandra Topping |
| Sun 4 Feb 2018 13.56 GMT | Sun 4 Feb 2018 13.56 GMT |
| Last modified on Mon 5 Feb 2018 08.58 GMT | |
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| It was supposed to be the moment that kickstarted a year of centenary celebrations around the act of parliament which gave some women the vote and paved the way for universal suffrage 10 years later. | It was supposed to be the moment that kickstarted a year of centenary celebrations around the act of parliament which gave some women the vote and paved the way for universal suffrage 10 years later. |
| But the government has been accused of undermining celebrations in a crucial year for gender equality, after groups were given just four days to submit an online application for funds to mark 6 February, the anniversary of the day the Representation of the People Act 1918 was passed. | But the government has been accused of undermining celebrations in a crucial year for gender equality, after groups were given just four days to submit an online application for funds to mark 6 February, the anniversary of the day the Representation of the People Act 1918 was passed. |
| On Tuesday, there will be an exhibition of key campaigners in Trafalgar Square organised by Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, while parliament has organised a private reception of 700 invitees to mark the day. But just £60,000 – or 4% – of funding allocated to grassroots groups for the year has been allocated in time to celebrate the day the law changed. | On Tuesday, there will be an exhibition of key campaigners in Trafalgar Square organised by Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, while parliament has organised a private reception of 700 invitees to mark the day. But just £60,000 – or 4% – of funding allocated to grassroots groups for the year has been allocated in time to celebrate the day the law changed. |
| Women’s groups said they were disappointed and frustrated that groups had not been able to access government funds in time to organise local celebrations. | Women’s groups said they were disappointed and frustrated that groups had not been able to access government funds in time to organise local celebrations. |
| “It’s been incredibly slow, we’ve been complaining about that – everyone has been complaining about that,” said Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society. “It’s been a real missed opportunity of getting that money six months ago, frankly. We’ve been pushing and pushing and it’s been a source of intense frustration.” | “It’s been incredibly slow, we’ve been complaining about that – everyone has been complaining about that,” said Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society. “It’s been a real missed opportunity of getting that money six months ago, frankly. We’ve been pushing and pushing and it’s been a source of intense frustration.” |
| Online applications for small grants up to £2,000 from the £1.5m Women’s Vote Centenary Grant Scheme opened on 4 January, despite £5m being promised for the year’s celebrations by the chancellor, Philip Hammond, as far back as March last year. A government spokeswoman said groups could make a bid for funding by post from 7 December, but online applications were only opened a month later. No details were given about why online applications were not open earlier, or the number of postal applications made. | Online applications for small grants up to £2,000 from the £1.5m Women’s Vote Centenary Grant Scheme opened on 4 January, despite £5m being promised for the year’s celebrations by the chancellor, Philip Hammond, as far back as March last year. A government spokeswoman said groups could make a bid for funding by post from 7 December, but online applications were only opened a month later. No details were given about why online applications were not open earlier, or the number of postal applications made. |
| The government confirmed that £60,000 had been allocated to 35 events on or around 6 February. The small grants deadline for other events in the year closed on 31 January, and received 185 applications. The funding round for grants between £2,000 and £125,000 is not yet open. | The government confirmed that £60,000 had been allocated to 35 events on or around 6 February. The small grants deadline for other events in the year closed on 31 January, and received 185 applications. The funding round for grants between £2,000 and £125,000 is not yet open. |
| Several groups – including the Women’s March organisers who were instrumental in bringing up to 100,000 people on to the streets of London last year – told the Guardian they had not been aware of publicity related to the fund. The government did not respond when asked how the fund was publicised. | Several groups – including the Women’s March organisers who were instrumental in bringing up to 100,000 people on to the streets of London last year – told the Guardian they had not been aware of publicity related to the fund. The government did not respond when asked how the fund was publicised. |
| “It’s just shambolic,” said Sarah Green of the End Violence Against Women coalition. “6 February is obviously a very significant date and it is ridiculous that organisations have had so little time to get funds.” | “It’s just shambolic,” said Sarah Green of the End Violence Against Women coalition. “6 February is obviously a very significant date and it is ridiculous that organisations have had so little time to get funds.” |
| A tender to employ a grant-making body to administer the fund was launched in September last year. The contract was given to private firm Ecorys in November. Asked for comment, Ecorys referred the Guardian to the Government Equalities Office (GEO), which referred the Guardian to the Home Office. | A tender to employ a grant-making body to administer the fund was launched in September last year. The contract was given to private firm Ecorys in November. Asked for comment, Ecorys referred the Guardian to the Government Equalities Office (GEO), which referred the Guardian to the Home Office. |
| Activity around the centenary had been led by the GEO until Justine Greening left the role of education secretary in a reshuffle on 9 January, when Amber Rudd was given the position of minister for women and equalities. | Activity around the centenary had been led by the GEO until Justine Greening left the role of education secretary in a reshuffle on 9 January, when Amber Rudd was given the position of minister for women and equalities. |
| Labour’s shadow minister for women and equalities, Dawn Butler, said the shambolic distribution of funds raised questions about the government’s outsourcing policies. Labour would demand answers about the allocation of funds and how much was paid to Ecorys, she said. Details of the contract are not yet published on the government website. | Labour’s shadow minister for women and equalities, Dawn Butler, said the shambolic distribution of funds raised questions about the government’s outsourcing policies. Labour would demand answers about the allocation of funds and how much was paid to Ecorys, she said. Details of the contract are not yet published on the government website. |
| “This was supposed to be a momentous opportunity for the country to come together and celebrate the achievements made over the last 100 years of some women gaining the vote,” said Butler. “But instead, the government has outsourced yet another contract that has fallen woefully short of achieving its intended purpose.” | “This was supposed to be a momentous opportunity for the country to come together and celebrate the achievements made over the last 100 years of some women gaining the vote,” said Butler. “But instead, the government has outsourced yet another contract that has fallen woefully short of achieving its intended purpose.” |
| Frances Scott, founder of 50:50 Parliament, which campaigns for increased women’s representation in Westminster, said: “It’s a complete mess that the funding hasn’t been made available sooner. 6 February should be a day for putting a rocket under this year, but the grassroots organisations who should be blasting out the message haven’t had the money to do that.” | Frances Scott, founder of 50:50 Parliament, which campaigns for increased women’s representation in Westminster, said: “It’s a complete mess that the funding hasn’t been made available sooner. 6 February should be a day for putting a rocket under this year, but the grassroots organisations who should be blasting out the message haven’t had the money to do that.” |
| Rosa, the largest funder of grassroots women’s projects in the UK, offered support to the equalities office in summer 2017 and bid for the government contract in the autumn, said executive director Samantha Rennie. There was a risk that larger groups with professionalised fundraisers would be able to access funds for the year, while smaller organisations risked losing out, she added. “It’s women’s organisations that need this money – these are the groups that carry the torch of the suffragettes, and there is still so much to be done.” Rosa would continue to promote any information, she said: “We are always happy to help government access women’s organisations.” | Rosa, the largest funder of grassroots women’s projects in the UK, offered support to the equalities office in summer 2017 and bid for the government contract in the autumn, said executive director Samantha Rennie. There was a risk that larger groups with professionalised fundraisers would be able to access funds for the year, while smaller organisations risked losing out, she added. “It’s women’s organisations that need this money – these are the groups that carry the torch of the suffragettes, and there is still so much to be done.” Rosa would continue to promote any information, she said: “We are always happy to help government access women’s organisations.” |
| About £1m of the £5m set aside for the year is funding new statues of women, including a statue of suffragist Millicent Fawcett, the first statue of a woman in Parliament Square. On 15 December, the government announced that seven areas across England would receive a share of £1.2m to fund projects. Parliament has launched Vote 100, a year-long programme of events, including talks and tours. So far, around 280 groups have signed up to hold a tea party under the banner of Vote 100’s “EqualiTeas”. | About £1m of the £5m set aside for the year is funding new statues of women, including a statue of suffragist Millicent Fawcett, the first statue of a woman in Parliament Square. On 15 December, the government announced that seven areas across England would receive a share of £1.2m to fund projects. Parliament has launched Vote 100, a year-long programme of events, including talks and tours. So far, around 280 groups have signed up to hold a tea party under the banner of Vote 100’s “EqualiTeas”. |
| Graham Smith of Republic, a campaign group which calls for the abolition of the monarchy, said the comparison between how the centenary had been funded and publicised was in stark contrast to the government’s organisation of the Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations in 2012, which were estimated to have cost £1.3bn, funded by both private and public funds. | Graham Smith of Republic, a campaign group which calls for the abolition of the monarchy, said the comparison between how the centenary had been funded and publicised was in stark contrast to the government’s organisation of the Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations in 2012, which were estimated to have cost £1.3bn, funded by both private and public funds. |
| “In 2012, we had weeks of official celebration and a pageant on the Thames, to celebrate one woman getting an unelected job 60 years earlier,” he said. “This year the government can barely hide their lack of interest in celebrating the right of millions of women to vote.” | “In 2012, we had weeks of official celebration and a pageant on the Thames, to celebrate one woman getting an unelected job 60 years earlier,” he said. “This year the government can barely hide their lack of interest in celebrating the right of millions of women to vote.” |
| A government spokesperson said the centenary was an important democratic milestone, and it had allocated £5m for the celebration. | A government spokesperson said the centenary was an important democratic milestone, and it had allocated £5m for the celebration. |
| “This will pay for a series of events and projects throughout the centenary year, with £1.2m already awarded to towns and cities with a strong history of suffrage. £60,000 has been granted to smaller-scale celebrations, many of which will coincide with the anniversary of the act of parliament that first gave some women the right to vote.” | “This will pay for a series of events and projects throughout the centenary year, with £1.2m already awarded to towns and cities with a strong history of suffrage. £60,000 has been granted to smaller-scale celebrations, many of which will coincide with the anniversary of the act of parliament that first gave some women the right to vote.” |
| Women's suffrage | Women's suffrage |
| Women | Women |
| Feminism | Feminism |
| Conservatives | Conservatives |
| Philip Hammond | Philip Hammond |
| Amber Rudd | Amber Rudd |
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