Prisoners (Temporary Discharge for Ill Health) Act 1913 Prisoners (Temporary Discharge for Ill Health) Act 1913 The Prisoners (Temporary Discharge for Ill Health) Act, commonly referred to as the Cat and Mouse Act, was an Act of Parliament passed in Britain under Herbert Henry Asquith's Liberal government in 1913. Some members of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU, commonly referred to as suffragettes) had been imprisoned for acts of vandalism in support of women's suffrage. In protest at being imprisoned some of the suffragettes undertook hunger strikes. The hunger strikers were then force-fed by the prison staff leading to a public outcry. The act was a response
Cat and Mouse (Sheep) your elbow". Like much of Motton's writing for the theatre "Cat and Mouse (Sheep)" antagonised and bewildered theatre managements and critics, as well as some audiences. The work comes from a position already reached by the author and makes no concessions to any need to lead the audience to share his outlook. Instead it deliberately seeks to confront and embarrass the audience by tricking them into thinking they are being invited to agree with ideas that are then quickly discredited and ridiculed. This process is what gives the play its title The result, while startling and amusing when it isn't