Why did the first woman elected to the Commons not take her seat? | Constance Markievicz

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In this video, based on a blog written by Dr Mari Takayanagi at the Parliamentary Archives, adapted with the help of Sammy Sturgess of the History of Parliament Trust, Chloe Storer explains why Constance Markievicz refused to take her seat when elected to the Commons in 1918 and why, even if she had not refused, she may have been barred from taking to the green benches.

For more information, here is Dr Takayanagi's blog:

With thanks to the National Library of Ireland for most of the images used in this video. Full image credits are given below.

0.36: Constance Markievicz, photo by A. H. Poole, NLI NPA POLF203

1.00: Constance Markievicz in uniform, kneeling against a studio prop holding a gun, studio full-length portrait, Keogh Brothers Ltd., photographers, NLI KE 82

1.26: Constance Markievicz, NLI MS 33 12814 front

1.47: Dublin Bread Company, the remains of the Dublin Bread Company at 6-7 Lower Sackville Street (now O'Connell Street) after the Easter Rising in 1916, NLI KE 115

2.31: Constance Goore Booth and Count Casimir Dunin Markievicz, NLI NPA SHE10

3.35: Constance Markievicz, NLI NPA POLF210

4.09: Daniel O’Connell, Public Domain

5.26: Dáil Éireann meeting in the Mansion House, August, 1921, NLI KE 221

5.45: Constance Markievicz campaigning, NLI KE 139