Dear MP (name)
It has come to my attention that a portrait of Emmeline Pankhurst, or indeed any suffragette, is not displayed in the permanent art collection in the Houses of Parliament.
It seems strange and wrong that in this day and age we are not recognising, celebrating and remembering the very woman who founded the Women’s Social and Political Union….the precusor to the Suffragette Movement.
Today only 22% of MPs are women, how do we expect women to be inspired and look to Parliament in a wish to hold public office- if the very seat of our democracy does not recognise the very women who shaped politics and fought for women’s suffrage.
Charlotte Newson’s Portrait is an amazing piece of art and a celebration of this women, the suffrage movement and extraordinary ordinary women past and present.
Charlotte asked people to send in photographs of the woman that had inspired them most in their lives. Thousands did and from this Charlotte created her portrait. The warmth, beauty and vitality that radiates from the portrait comes not only from the stunning image that resulted but also from the knowledge that each photograph tells a story of a woman who has inspired others.
Please ask the Art committee to strongly consider her work and readdress this awful admission of Emmeline from the halls of the very place she sought to change and indeed succeeded in doing so.
Many thanks