1-192-472 - © London Museum/Heritage-Images

Suffragettes determined to 'Keep the Liberal Out' at the Cleveland by-election, 1909. The window of the temporary premises they rented for the by-election is decorated with posters of the three leading women of the WSPU, from left to right: Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence, Emmeline Pankhurst and Christabel Pankhurst. 'Hit squads' of suffragettes would arrive in a constituency, hire the best public rooms and go to work immediately to try and keep the Liberals out of the House of Commons. In October 1906, the NUWSS announced they would put up their own independent male candidates to run against Liberal politicians who were opposed to votes for women. In 1907 the WSPU began opposing all Liberal MPs at by-elections. Suffragettes made life as difficult as possible for leading members of the party wherever and whenever possible.