Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Sikh princess celebrated as women's vote campaigner in UK

Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, the daughter of the last ruler of the Sikh empire Maharaja Duleep Singh, is among several British women who were celebrated today in the UK to mark the centenary of women's right to vote.

The granddaughter of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and god-daughter of Queen Victoria had taken to the streets in the early 1900s to campaign for the right of women to be able to vote.


On the day of the King's Speech to Parliament in 1911, she threw herself in front of the car of the then prime minister Herbert Asquith with a poster that read "Give women the vote".

Her heroism is being marked alongside other "suffragettes", or members of women's organisations during that period, who advocated the extension of the franchise to women.

Their efforts led women who were householders over the age of 30 to get the vote by an act of UK Parliament, the Representation of the People Act, in 1918, which was extended to women over 21 in 1928.

"Those who fought to establish their right, my right, every woman's right, to vote in elections, to stand for office and to take their full and rightful place in public life did so in the face of fierce opposition.

"They persevered in spite of all danger and discouragement because they knew their cause was right," Prime minister Theresa May said in a speech to mark the centenary in Manchester, a centre of activism for the women's suffrage movement.

She warned that "intimidation and aggression" on social media were coarsening public debate, deterring people from participating in politics and threatening democracy.

May announced a new annual internet safety transparency report to provide data on what offensive content is being reported and how social media companies are responding to complaints.

She also announced plans for a Law Commission review of legislation to ensure that illegal actions are also illegal online.

The celebrations to mark 100 years of women's right to vote include the Royal Mail issuing a set of commemorative stamps of suffragettes like Princess Sophia Duleep Singh.

Born in 1876, the princess grew up at Elveden Hall in Suffolk, where her father lived in exile.

In 1894, she moved to Hampton Court Palace at the invitation of the Queen and became known as a socialite in royal circles.

However, after a trip to India, she returned to London transformed and joined other suffragettes like Emmeline Pankhurst and Millicent Fawcett in their fight for the right to vote.

There are growing calls for the suffragette women, many of whom were jailed for their efforts, to be pardoned posthumously.

UK home secretary Amber Rudd said it was a "complicated" issue but that she would "take a look" at such a posthumous pardon.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called on the government to apologise to suffragettes and have their criminal records overturned.

More For You

commonwealth-youth-awards-regional-finalists

The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 12 March 2025, hosted by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.

20 finalists announced for 2025 Commonwealth Youth Awards

THE Commonwealth Youth Awards has announced 20 regional finalists for the 2025 edition, recognising young leaders working in areas including social entrepreneurship, climate action, and community health.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 12 March 2025, hosted by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.

Keep ReadingShow less
Wolverhampton pharmacist Sundip Gill jailed for Covid grant fraud

Gill made “false representations” and supplied “fake quotations” to support funding applications

Representative image (iStock)

Wolverhampton pharmacist Sundip Gill jailed for Covid grant fraud

Dineshwori Longjam

Sundip Gill, a registered pharmacist from Wolverhampton, has been sentenced to imprisonment after being found guilty of fraud related to Covid-19 grant applications.

According to the City of Wolverhampton Council, Gill made “false representations” and supplied “fake quotations” to support funding applications. Gill is the director of two pharmaceutical companies, Sync Chem Ltd and Collateral Ltd, and operates four pharmacy businesses in Wolverhampton—Collateral, Your Pharmacy First, Low Hill Pharmacy, and Fallings Park Pharmacy.

Keep ReadingShow less
obesity-representational-iStock

India is projected to have the second-highest number of overweight and obese adults—218m men and 231m women—after China. (Representational image: iStock)

Global obesity to reach 3.8 bn by 2050; India among worst affected: Study

BY 2050, the number of overweight and obese people worldwide could reach 3.8 billion, with India accounting for over 440 million, a global study published in The Lancet journal has estimated.

India is projected to have the second-highest number of overweight and obese adults—218m men and 231m women—after China, while the United States, Brazil, and Nigeria follow, according to researchers, including those from the Indian Council of Medical Research.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mortgage lending rises to highest since September 2022

Lending rose to £4.207 billion in January from £3.343 bn in December. (Representational image: Getty)

Mortgage lending rises to highest since September 2022

NET mortgage lending in Britain increased in January to its highest level since September 2022, while mortgage approvals declined slightly but remained above expectations, according to Bank of England data released on Monday.

Lending rose to £4.207 billion in January from £3.343 bn in December. This was the highest level since September 2022, when financial market turmoil followed the economic plans of then-prime minister Liz Truss. The figure was also higher than the £3.55 bn forecast in a Reuters poll.

Keep ReadingShow less
Wes Streeting

Wes Streeting walks near 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain, October 29, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

Labour hasn’t always got it right on Muslim engagement, says Streeting

HEALTH secretary Wes Streeting has acknowledged that the Labour Party "hasn't always got it right" in its engagement with Muslim communities.

Speaking at the launch of the British Muslim Network, Streeting said successive governments had failed to establish strong relationships with Muslim communities, The Times reported.

Keep ReadingShow less