The 1,500 members of the Garrick Club are to be asked to vote on a move that could allow women to join.
It comes after an emergency committee meeting at the historic Covent Garden club reportedly voted to accept legal advice opening the way to changing the single-sex rules which have stood since it first opened its doors in 1831. Lawyers told them the pronoun “he” is regarded as interchangeable with “she” in law — effectively meaning the rules as they stand already allow women to join.
Its full membership, which includes famous names from the worlds of politics, art and the media, will be asked to agree to the change at a forthcoming extraordinary general meeting, according to The Guardian. Among them are deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden, actors Brian Cox and Benedict Cumberbatch and broadcaster Stephen Fry.
There have been several moves in recent years to lift the bar on women joining. A poll of members last November found 51 per cent were in favour of admitting women but club rules require a two-thirds majority to change its position. Even if the members agree to accept the new legal interpretation it may not change the make-up of the membership immediately.
Seven women, including actress Juliet Stevenson and former politician Amber Rudd, have been nominated as prospective members already in case of a rule change. But the process of becoming a member can be a lengthy one taking several years.
It is understood nominees need enough supporters to fill two pages of an official book and then have to attend a certain number of dinners at the club as a guest of their supporters before membership takes effect.
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Cabinet Secretary Simon Case is understood to have renounced his membership while the head of MI6 Sir Richard Moore is also said to have quit