ABSTRACT
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 leadership 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
