The Peterloo massacre - WHY YOU SHOULD REGISTER TO VOTE NOW

[Bridget Barber]

REGISTER TO VOTE NOW - HERE'S WHY

In 1817 a petition with 3/4 million signatures calling for MANhood suffrage was flatly rejected

The Peterloo massacre took place on Monday 16th August 1819. A peaceful gathering of 60,000 people including and partly led by women in white dresses and children dancing processed to St Peter's Field in Manchester to demand the reform of parliamentary representation. This was a time of great economic hardship following the Napoleonic wars and the battle of Waterloo four years before (hence the name the Peterloo massacre). In 1817 a petition with 3/4 million signatures calling for MANhood suffrage was flatly rejected.

The Manchester and Salford Yeomanry were sent to arrest Henry Hunt, the man addressing the crowd. They started to push into the crowd and there was panic. A woman was knocked down and a child was killed. The 15th Hussars were sent to disperse the crowd. They went in with sabres drawn and by the morning between 9-17 people were dead and 400-700 people had been injured in the confusion.

The people were fighting for the right to vote 200 years ago. In part due to them and their sacrifice every British citizen had the right to vote. They stood up and died for that right.

British Citizens abroad now have the right to vote in UK general elections for life. You can use that hard won vote to lobby your MP to advocate on your behalf for justice for British Pensioners with Frozen Pensions. You can vote in the constituency where you last lived. Use that post code to find out who your MP is.

Go to https://www.gov.uk REGISTER NOW

If you need help to register, BPiA can help you. Go to their website to find the factsheet.

Follow the link https://bpia.org.au/join-now/