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Viscountess Astor's election leaflet

Nancy Astor was born in Virginia, USA, in 1879. She moved to England and married into the wealthy Astor family in 1906. A political hostess, she had many influential friends. She was elected MP for Plymouth Sutton in a by-election in November 1919.  This is an election campaign leaflet from her campaign.

During her campaign she made the following speech: “If you want an M.P. who will be a repetition of the 600 other M.P.s don't vote for me. If you want a lawyer or if you want a pacifist don't elect me. If you can't get a fighting man, take a fighting woman. If you want a Bolshevist or a follower of Mr Asquith, don't elect me. If you want a party hack don't elect me. Surely we have outgrown party ties, I have. The war has taught us that there is a greater thing than parties and that is the State.”

Title

Viscountess Astor's election leaflet

Date

1919

Catalogue number

Parliamentary Archives, BRO/1