106-year-old woman, suffragette's daughter denied vote in UK election

  • 10/06/2017

A 106-year-old British woman who survived two world wars and recalls women getting the right to vote, was turned away from the polls on Thursday.

Amy Hawkins was trying to cast her vote in her village of Monmouth, Wales, but was told she couldn't have voting papers.

Polling staff claimed Amy wasn't on the electoral register, despite the fact she voted in 2015. It later emerged her name had somehow changed on the electoral roll this year.

"I was born in 1911, I've seen two world wars, I've seen votes for women, I've seen pensions for all, I've seen the miners' strike," Mrs Hawkins said, in a Facebook video posted by her family.

"And today they wouldn't let me vote."

Mrs Hawkins' mother was a suffragette who campaigned for women's enfranchisement in the UK.

Her granddaughter says the denial of her right to vote was "disgraceful".

"She always votes, and she did at the last election in 2015," Tamzin Powell told the BBC.

"Gran is pretty good for 106, but she was devastated. She's been a Labour voter all her life and this might have been her last chance".

Monmouthshire Council's chief executive told BBC: "It's unfortunate that Mrs Hawkins was unable to vote yesterday.

"But if you aren't on the electoral register, which is constantly updated, you are not entitled to a vote.

"That is the law of the land."

Newshub.