Parties Sign Asylum Pledge
posted: 22/04/2010
Party leaders and many general election candidates have signed an election pledge to "never play fast and loose" with the UK's commitment to offering asylum.
Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Nick Clegg and hundreds of parliamentary candidates have signed up to the pledge organised by three rights organisations. Liberty, once called the national council for civil liberties, along with the Refugee Council and the Scottish Refugee Council are all campaigning for the Asylum Election Pledge.
HIV and asylum
A significant proportion of people with HIV in the UK are people who have sought or are applying for asylum (13% in NW England), so the treatment of asylum seekers is a significant HIV issue. At the end of 2007, there were 600 asylum seekers with HIV still waiting for a decision in NW England - and 162 who have been formally granted asylum so far. The majority are people who have fled the political and social crisis in Zimbabwe.
Abhor racism and xenophobia in political debate
The pledge states that there is no room for "racism and xenophobia in modern British politics". It asks the signatories to accept that "no democratic debate is advanced by the denigration of the most vulnerable in our country" and to remember those who do not have the right to vote in elections.
The pledge declares:
"I promise to remember the importance of refugee protection, even in free and wide-ranging debates about immigration policy. I will never play hard and loose with the proud tradition of a nation that must always offer succour to those in genuine fear of persecution."
Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty, said: "It is very good news that even in the heat of election battle, all three leaders have promised to honour the importance of refugee protection. No one should underestimate the ocean of common decency in Britain and we intend to hold our politicians to this proud tradition."
Get your candidates to sign up before May 6
The pledge will be open until May 6th and Liberty want you to urge your election candidates to sign up. Check if your constituency candidates have signed
If your constituency candidates haven’t yet signed the pledge, please ask them here to sign - it's quick and easy.
The top countries of origin for refugees coming to the UK in 2009 were Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Iran, China, Sri Lanka, and Eritrea. The UK is home to less than two per cent of the world’s refugees, with 80 per cent living in developing countries.
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