A row has erupted over plans to relocate a statue of the suffragette pioneer Emmeline Pankhurst from its site near the Houses of Parliament to the private Regent’s University in Regent’s Park, London.

The statue, which was funded by suffragettes, was unveiled in Victoria Tower Gardens near the House of Lords by the then prime minister, Stanley Baldwin, in 1930.

Critics have described the proposal to move the monument during the centenary of women’s suffrage in the UK as a scandal, giving rise to questions about the cultural and historical significance of statues and their location.

The proposal comes from the Emmeline Pankhurst Trust, a non-profit group led by the former Conservative MP Sir Neil Thorne which had originally wanted to move the statue to Parliament Square.

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The Fawcett Society was simultaneously campaigning for a sculpture of Millicent Fawcett to be erected in the square, but attempts to locate both statues there failed, and in April a bronze statue of Fawcett was unveiled – the first sculpture in Parliament Square to celebrate a woman.

It is understood that the House of Commons works of art committee intends to make a formal objection to the proposal. Alison McGovern, chair of the committee, said that Pankhurst had been an “inspiration” to parliamentarians and members of the public and said that her committee would not support any move. “Speaking personally, I will strenuously oppose any move of this sculpture. It is of immense historical and political importance,” she added.

Liam O’Connor, whose London-based architectural firm has been commissioned to oversee the relocation project, said the original plan to move the Pankhurst statue to Parliament Square had been to give it a more prominent location. “Following analysis of the scale comparison with other [statues in the area] such as Lincoln and Canning, it was clear that such a small figure would be inappropriate in that location,” he told the Art Newspaper.

Caroline Criado Perez, who led the Fawcett campaign, tweeted: “Save the original suffragette-funded Pankhurst statue by Parliament! A planning application has been made to have it removed to the grounds of a private college the public cannot access – don’t let it happen!” She added that to remove the statue would be “an act of vandalism against women’s history”.

Caroline Criado Perez (@CCriadoPerez) this is the objection I have submitted to the removal of the Emmeline Pankhurst statue from Victoria Tower Gardens. Feel free to use it as a basis for your complaint -- but please do use your own words as they will have far more impact. pic.twitter.com/bpx8JxrcK6

Caroline Criado Perez (@CCriadoPerez) I submitted more or less the same objection to the proposal to move it to the private grounds of a private college, with the following addition at the end: pic.twitter.com/LAPDVXII1d

Elizabeth Crawford, who runs the blog Woman and her Sphere, wrote that if the Emmeline Pankhurst Trust “had wanted to erect a new statue to Mrs Pankhurst that did not involve casting the original aside as though it was of no consequence, I would have no objection. But I feel very strongly that we should honour the intention and actions of those who committed their time and money to setting Mrs Pankhurst in such an excellent position next to parliament”.

Thorne has said the new site had been chosen because of the historical association of the suffragettes with Bedford College, which used to stand on the Regent’s University site. He told the Telegraph he was amazed by the objections, and that the new site was floodlit and open to the public 24 hours a day.

A heritage assessment submitted to Westminster city council says “the founders of Bedford College were pioneers in promoting higher education for women and many alumni went on to participate in the suffragette campaigns”.

Critics, however, including the deputy leader of the Green party, Amelia Womack, and Women’s March on London, have said the reasons for the move are wrong.

Amanda (@englishchick) I've looked up the supposed Bedford College link, and it's total bollocks! Bedford College merged with Royal Holloway in the 1980s, and this private university (founded in the 1980s) took over their old buildings. It's not a descendant institution. 1/2

Amanda (@englishchick) After Bedford College moved to Royal Holloway's site in Surrey, the private college now a university took over the buildings. That's literally all. So even the suffragettes who attended it (and they weren't Pankhursts) have no connection with Regent's University. 2/2

“This statue should stay in the present position next to the Houses of Parliament, to remove it is in complete opposition to the campaigning of Emmeline Pankhurst herself and the subscription of the suffragettes who raised money to place this statue in the location next to parliament,” one person commented on the planning application.

“All this year wreaths have been laid at the statue commemorating the vital work she and the WSPU [Women’s Social and Political Union] undertook to fight for women to gain the vote and right to representation.

“People visit the Houses of Parliament to discover its history and to learn how the vote was gained equally they need to see both the suffragist and suffragette leaders on an equal billing very close to parliament. This should not be moved at all.”