MPs have put their Brexit opinions to one side and joined forces to show their support for a new statue.

The Mary Clarke Statue Appeal is an organisation set up to fund a bronze figure of suffragette Mary Clarke, Emmeline Pankhurst’s sister, who died on Christmas Day 1910.

Mary was the leader in Brighton for the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) from 1909 until 1910, and the first suffragette to die, as a result of police violence and forcible feeding in prison.

Despite differing political views, Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion Caroline Lucas, Hove’s Labour MP Peter Kyle and Conservative MP for Lewes Maria Caulfield have united in support for the statue and agreed to be patrons of the appeal.

The project has also gained cross-party support from Brighton and Hove City Council which has committed to give an initial £10,000 to help fund the costs of a bronze maquette – or model – of the statue.

Caroline Lucas said: “I am honoured and delighted to accept this invitation to be a patron.

“I congratulate the members of the appeal for all their work to make this happen –it’s very exciting and I look forward to doing whatever I can to promote and support the campaign.”

Ms Caulfield said: “I am delighted to become a patron of the Mary Clarke Statue Appeal.

“I hope that it will not be too long before Brighton can proudly display the statue of Mary Clarke, described as ‘the first woman martyr who has gone to death for this cause’.

“A prominent statue of Mary Clarke in Brighton will help future generations learn of her contribution to the suffragette movement and her impact on it in Brighton.”

Peter Kyle has recently added his support.

He said: “I didn’t hesitate to accept the offer to be patron of the Mary Clarke Statue Appeal.

“Mary Clarke embodies the plucky, rebellious, radical spirit of Brighton and Hove and I look forward to doing whatever I can to promote and support the campaign.”

As patrons, the MPs are joining women’s rights campaigner Baroness Joyce Gould from Hove, Juliet Smith, deputy lieutenant of Sussex and Professor June Purvis, a historian and expert on Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst.

The appeal was launched in December.

Nationally known sculptor Hazel Reeves, from Brighton, has agreed to make the maquette and, funding permitting, the statue.

She sculpted the recently unveiled Manchester statue of Emmeline Pankhurst.

The statue of Mary Clarke is planned to be a figurative, bronze sculpture, which will be in keeping with the environment and accessible.

It is hoped that it can be in or very near the Pavilion Estate which has historic links with the suffrage movement.

To donate or offer support to the appeal email information.mcsa@gmail.com.

Cheques should be made out to “Mary Clarke Statue Appeal” and posted c/o For Our Daughters, Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XJ.