Before the General Election, the Refugee Council, Liberty and the Scottish Refugee Council called on candidates to remember the importance of providing safety to people fleeing war, torture and persecution in debates on asylum and immigration by signing an Asylum Election Pledge.
1,031 parliamentary candidates signed the pledge including Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Nick Clegg, SNP Leader Alex Salmond, Elfyn Llwyd, of the Green Party of the Plaid Cymru group at Westminster and Caroline Lucas, Leader of the Green Party in England and Wales.
We’re thrilled with this response and reassured that so many candidates, many of whom have been elected to Parliament, have recognised the importance of refugee protection in this way. Thank you to all of you who contacted your candidates about this issue. You helped to keep racism and xenophobia out of the election.
The Asylum Election Pledge stated:
There is no place for racism and xenophobia in modern British politics. Nor is democratic debate advanced by the denigration of the most vulnerable in our country, including children and asylum seekers who do not enjoy the right to participate in elections.
I promise to remember the importance of refugee protection, even in free and wide-ranging debates about immigration policy. I will never play fast and loose with the proud tradition of a nation that must always offer succour to those in genuine fear of persecution.
Find out if your candidates signed the pledge
Find out which MPs signed the pledge
