Parties pledge to protect refugees
By Sasjkia Otto
Nick Clegg, David Cameron and Gordon Brown have signed a pledge to honour the importance of refugee protection ahead of the second leaders’ debate focusing on foreign policy tonight.
Hundreds of parliamentary candidates signed up to the Liberty, Refugee Council and Scottish Refugee Council asylum election pledge “never [to] play fast and loose with the proud tradition of a nation that must always offer succour to those in genuine fear of persecution”.
Donna Covey, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “People seeking asylum have fled war, torture and persecution and come to the UK to seek safety.
“In this election, the right to asylum must be defended, so we are delighted the main party leaders have pledged to ensure a balanced debate on immigration and asylum policy, and to honour Britain’s history as a place of refuge for the persecuted.”
Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, said: “No one should underestimate the ocean of common decency in Britain and we intend to hold our politicians to this proud tradition.”
The UK is a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, which guarantees any person who is not safe in their own country the right to claim asylum elsewhere. No country has ever withdrawn from it.
The UK is home to less than two per cent of the world’s refugees, out of 16 million worldwide, with 80% living in developing countries.
Voters have been urged to ask their prospective parliamentary candidates to sign the pledge on www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk or refugeecouncil.org.uk before May 6th.
