The tensions that had arisen for Emmeline during the ILP 1907 April
Conference continued to simmer during the following months when she faced
the first and only challenge to her leadership from a group of socialist WSPU
members who, in addition to the recent move to disassociate the Union from
the ILP, were unhappy with its lack of democratic structures. The WSPU lead-
ership was self-appointed rather than elected, and the Central Committee and
the paid organisers (who now included Adela) were appointed by the leaders.
Although Teresa Billington had drawn up in 1906 a hastily drafted constitution
which recognised members as enfranchised voters and which declared the
annual conference to be the ultimate governing power, it was felt that these
aspects of organisation were ignored so that the rank-and-file membership did
not participate in national policy decisions but was merely informed of them. In
particular, it would appear that Teresa Billington-Greig (she had married some
months earlier and added her husband’s name to her own) felt deep resentment
when, with the arrival of Christabel in London, she was transferred to the
provinces to establish new branches. In favour of greater branch autonomy and
democracy, it was rumoured that she, Charlotte Despard and Edith How
Martyn, the Honorary Secretaries of the Central Committee, intended a coup
against the leadership, a move that would be made at the annual conference
planned for 12 October.^1 Emmeline, campaigning in the Jarrow by-election,
wrote to Sam Robinson on 22 June 1907 asking him to let her have the letter
he had shown her in Manchester, which she would use ‘discreetly’, since the
‘same disloyalty’ was at work again and she wanted the Central Committee to
understand what was going on. ‘I don’t mind open opposition of a fair &
straightforward kind but these whisperings & suggestions are not fair fighting.
... I am tired with fighting the enemy. That makes it harder to face foes in one’s
own household.’ The same day, in a letter to Sylvia whom Emmeline addressed
affectionately as ‘dear child’, the identity of one of her foes is made clear. ‘As for
the TBG affair we have just to face her & put her in her place. She has gone
too far this time.’^2
After working in the Colne Valley, West Yorkshire, by-election where Adela
and Annie Kenney, amongst others, joined her, Emmeline returned to Clement’s
nancy kaufman
(Nancy Kaufman)
#1