London men-only Garrick club votes to let in women
LONDON Members of one of London's oldest gentlemen's clubs, the Garrick Club, voted on Tuesday to allow women to join for the first time following a row that has bitterly divided its male-only membership.
The club's membership is a closely guarded secret but is known to include leading figures from the civil service, the law, journalism, publicly funded institutions and the arts.
The Guardian and Telegraph newspapers reported that a motion to allow women to join passed with around 60 per cent of votes in favour.
The Guardian said the vote occurred at the end of a private meeting where several hundred members spent two hours debating the issue.
The Telegraph reported that 40 per cent of the club's 1,500 members voted against.
The Garrick did not immediately respond to a request from AFP for comment.
Several high-profile members had reportedly threatened to quit the club if the proposal was rejected.
BBC world affairs editor John Simpson last week tweeted: "Various Garrick Club members including (musicians) Sting, Mark Knopfler and leading actors
and producers have reportedly written to the club chairman saying they'll resign if the membership doesn't vote to accept women next Tuesday."
He added: "Many others like me would also find it impossible to stay."
In March, the head of Britain's spy service Richard Moore resigned after a list of the club's membership was made public for the first time. It was revealed by The Simon Case, also quit his Guardian. membership.
Moore sent a message to Founded in 1831 for acMI6 employees acknowledging tors and "men of refinement the reputational hit and education", the Garrick
membern- dis that news of his one of the last such clubs ship posed to the service not to allow women in, except – in particular the risk of as guests of men. it undermining its work to A petition launched in attract more women to join 2021 backing the admission MI6. of women attracted
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's the support of Cherie most senior policy adviser, Blair, a leading barrister the civil service leader and wife of former prime minister Tony Blair.
She recalled that in 1976 as a trainee lawyer she was left standing outside while her future husband Tony was allowed in for dinner.
"It's outrageous that so little progress has been made since then," she wrote.
Organisers of the petition said that the large number of judges and senior lawyers who were members deprived women of networking opportunities in a profession in which women were under-represented, particularly in the higher echelons.
Charles Dickens
A previous vote in 2015 on allowing female members saw the narrowest of majorities – 50.5 per cent – back continuing the ban on female membership.
The Garrick, located in Covent Garden in central London, offers members overnight accommodation, a restaurant, bars and a library.
Other high-profile figures reported to be members include Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch and senior minister Michael Gove.
An early member was Charles Dickens.
The Guardian reported that members who supported women's membership have drawn up a list of seven women they plan to nominate to join.
It included a historian, a former interior minister and an actor.
The club's admissions process is opaque and slow, meaning it is unclear when the first women will join.
The process involves numerous seconders, an invitation to dine at the club and discussions by committee members who can block nominees.