Wednesday 17 September 2014

What is an EDM?


In my last post I mentioned an EDM (Early Day Motion), EDMs are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons.  Actually very few will be debated but the EDM’s allow MPs to highlight an event or a cause.  MPs can register their support by signing the individual motions.

Dr. Elsie Inglis a suffragist, a medical pioneer and a WWI heroine


There was an early day motion no. 341 submitted to parliament on the 12th September 2014 by Mike Crockart about Dr. Elsie Inglis and the Scottish Women’s hospitals.
That this House celebrates the bravery, achievements and hard work of Dr Elsie Inglis and the other women who set up and served in the Scottish Women’s Hospitals; recognises that the Scottish Women’s Hospitals became one of the best medical initiatives of World War One; acknowledges that these hospitals were set up despite a severe lack of support from the British War Office; estimates that the hospitals saved the lives of tens of thousands of people all in countries such as Serbia, Belgium, France, Russia, Romania, Corsica, Corfu and Greece; notes that the 14 women’s hospitals with a staff of over 1,000 women make up a remarkable, yet unrecognised part of our history; further notes that whilst Dr Inglis and the other women who served in these hospitals are recognised as heroes in Serbia, their work and achievements are barely recognised in the UK outside of Dr Inglis’ adopted home of Edinburgh; welcomes the proposal by Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation to recognise the work of Dr Elsie Inglis and her compatriots by establishing a training fund in the name of Dr Elsie Inglis for staff to access courses which may not be available through NHS Lothian; further recognises 16 August 2014 will be the 150th anniversary of the birth of this medical pioneer, suffragist, and First World War heroine; and strongly believes that during the centenary year of the outbreak of the First World War, the work of the brave women who served in these hospitals should be properly recognised and celebrated.”