Liberty - Protecting civil liberties, promoting human rights

In the run up to the 2010 General Election Liberty, the Refugee Council and the Scottish Refugee Council called on all parliamentary candidates to sign our asylum election pledge and remember Britain’s history as a place of refuge for the persecuted.

The Pledge

“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.”

Over 1,000 parliamentary candidates signed, including the leaders of the three main parties.

Did your MP sign the pledge?

Have a look on the list below to see whether your MP signed the pledge. You can use They Work For You to check how they vote and what they say in Parliament – help us make sure they keep their promise.

Aberdeen North	Mr Frank Doran MP	Labour
Altrincham and Sale West	Mr Graham Brady MP	Conservative
Alyn and Deeside	Mr Mark Tami MP	Labour
Angus	Mr Mike Weir MP	Scottish National Party
Argyll and Bute	Mr Alan Reid MP	Liberal Democrat
Ashford	Mr Damian Green MP	Conservative
Ashton-under-Lyne	Mr David Heyes MP	Labour
Aylesbury	Mr David Lidington MP	Conservative
Banff and Buchan	Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP	Scottish National Party
Barnsley Central	Mr Eric Illsley MP	Labour
Basingstoke	Mrs Maria Miller MP	Conservative
Bath	Mr Don Foster MP	Liberal Democrat
Batley and Spen	Mr Mike Wood MP	Labour
Battersea	Ms Jane Ellison MP	Conservative
Beaconsfield	Mr Dominic Grieve MP	Conservative
Belfast East	Mrs Naomi Long MP	Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Bermondsey and Old Southwark	Mr Simon Hughes MP	Liberal Democrat
Berwick-upon-Tweed	Rt Hon Sir Alan Beith MP	Liberal Democrat
Bethnal Green and Bow	Ms Rushanara Ali MP	Labour
Bexhill and Battle	Mr Gregory Barker MP	Conservative
Birmingham, Edgbaston	Ms Gisela Stuart MP	Labour
Birmingham, Hall Green	Mr Roger Godsiff MP	Labour
Bishop Auckland	Ms Helen Goodman MP	Labour
Blackley and Broughton	Mr Graham Stringer MP	Labour
Blackpool North and Cleveleys	Mr Paul Maynard MP	Conservative
Blaydon	Mr David Anderson MP	Labour
Bolton North East	Mr David Crausby MP	Labour
Bradford East	Mr David Ward MP	Liberal Democrat
Bradford South	Mr Gerry Sutcliffe MP	Labour
Bradford West	Mr Marsha Singh MP	Labour
Brecon and Radnorshire	Mr Roger Williams MP	Liberal Democrat
Brent Central	Ms Sarah Teather MP	Liberal Democrat
Brighton, Kemptown	Mr Simon Kirby MP	Conservative
Brighton, Pavilion	Dr Caroline Lucas MP	Green
Bristol East	Ms Kerry McCarthy MP	Labour
Bristol South	Rt Hon Dawn Primarolo MP	Labour
Bristol West	Mr Stephen Williams MP	Liberal Democrat
Broxtowe	Ms Anna Soubry MP	Conservative
Broxtowe	Mr David Watts MP	Liberal Democrat
Caerphilly	Mr Wayne David MP	Labour
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross	Mr John Thurso MP	Liberal Democrat
Camberwell and Peckham	Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP	Labour
Cambridge	Dr Julian Huppert MP	Liberal Democrat
Canterbury	Mr Julian Brazier TD MP	Conservative
Cardiff Central	Miss Jenny Willott MP	Liberal Democrat
Carshalton and Wallington	Mr Tom Brake MP	Liberal Democrat
Central Ayreshire	Mr Brian Donohoe MP	Labour
Central Suffolk and North Ipswich	Dr Daniel Poulter MP	Conservative
Ceredigion	Mr Mark Williams MP	Liberal Democrat
Cheadle	Mr Mark Hunter MP	Liberal Democrat
Chelsea and Fulham	Mr Greg Hands MP	Conservative
Cheltenham	Mr Martin Horwood MP	Liberal Democrat
Chingford and Woodford Green	Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP	Conservative
Chippenham	Mr Duncan Hames MP	Liberal Democrat
Colchester	Mr Bob Russell MP	Liberal Democrat
Coventry South	Mr James Cunningham MP	Labour
Crawley	Mr Henry Smith MP	Conservative
Croydon North	Rt Hon Malcolm Wicks MP	Labour
Dagenham and Rainham	Mr Jon Cruddas MP	Labour
Denton and Reddish	Mr Andrew Gwynne MP	Labour
Derby North	Mr Chris Williamson MP	Labour
Dudley North	Mr Ian Austin MP	Labour
Dulwich and West Norwood	Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP	Labour
Dundee East	Mr Stewart Hosie MP	Scottish National Party
Dundee West	Mr Jim McGovern MP	Labour
Dwyfor Meirionnydd	Mr Elfyn Llwyd MP	Plaid Cymru
Ealing North	Mr Stephen Pound MP	Labour
Easington	Mr Grahame Morris MP	Labour
East Ham	Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP	Labour
East Worthing and Shoreham	Mr Tim Loughton MP	Conservative
Eastbourne	Mr Stephen Lloyd MP	Liberal Democrat
Eastleigh	Mr Chris Huhne MP	Liberal Democrat
Edinburgh North and Leith	Mr Mark Lazarowicz MP	Labour
Edmonton	Mr Andy Love MP	Labour
Eltham	Mr Clive Efford MP	Labour
Epsom and Ewell	Mr Chris Grayling MP	Conservative
Exeter	Rt Hon Ben Bradshaw MP	Labour
Feltham and Heston	Mr Alan Keen MP	Labour
Foyle	Mr Mark Durkan MP	Social Democrat and Labour Party
Gateshead	Ms Sharon Hodgson MP	Labour
Glasgow Central	Mr Anas Sarwar MP	Labour
Glasgow North	Ms Ann McKechin MP	Labour
Glasgow North East	Mr Willie Bain MP	Labour
Glasgow South	Mr Tom Harris MP	Labour
Gower	Mr Martin Caton MP	Labour
Greenwich and Woolwich	Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP	Labour
Hackney North and Stoke Newington	Ms Diane Abbott MP	Labour
Hammersmith	Mr Andy Slaughter MP	Labour
Hampstead and Kilburn	Ms Glenda Jackson CBE MP	Labour
Harlow	Mr Robert Halfon MP	Conservative
Harrow West	Mr Gareth Thomas MP	Labour
Havant	Sir Robert Smith Bt MP	Labour
Hayes and Harlington	Mr John McDonnell MP	Labour
Hayes and Harlington	Ms Jessica Lee MP	Green
Hazel Grove	Mr Andrew Stunell OBE MP	Liberal Democrat
Hemel Hempstead	Mr Mike Penning MP	Conservative
High Peak	Mr Andrew Bingham MP	Conservative
Holborn and St Pancras	Rt Hon Frank Dobson MP	Labour
Hornsey and Wood Green	Ms Lynne Featherstone MP	Liberal Democrat
Hove	Mr Mike Weatherley MP	Conservative
Hull North	Ms Diana Johnson MP	Labour
Ilford South	Mr Mike Gapes MP	Labour
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey	Mr Danny Alexander MP	Liberal Democrat
Islington North	Mr Jeremy Corbyn MP	Labour
Islington South and Finsbury	Ms Emily Thornberry MP	Labour
Kilmarnock and Loudoun	Ms Cathy Jamieson MP	Labour
Kingston and Surbiton	Mr Edward Davey MP	Liberal Democrat
Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath	Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP	Labour
Knowsley	Rt Hon George Howarth MP	Labour
Lancaster and Fleetwood	Mr Eric Ollerenshaw MP	Conservative
Leeds Central	Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP	Labour
Leeds East	Mr George Mudie MP	Labour
Leeds North East	Mr Fabian Hamilton MP	Labour
Leeds North West	Mr Greg Mulholland MP	Liberal Democrat
Leeds West	Ms Rachel Reeves MP	Labour
Leicester South	Sir Peter Soulsby MP	Labour
Leicester West	Ms Liz Kendall MP	Labour
Lewes	Mr Norman Baker MP	Liberal Democrat
Lewisham East	Ms Heidi Alexander MP	Labour
Lewisham West and Penge	Mr Jim Dowd MP	Labour
Lewisham, Deptford	Ms Joan Ruddock MP	Labour
Leyton and Wanstead	Mr John Cryer MP	Labour
Llanelli	Ms Nia Griffith MP	Labour
Luton North	Mr Kelvin Hopkins MP	Labour
Makerfield	Ms Yvonne Fovargue MP	Labour
Manchester Central	Mr Tony Lloyd MP	Labour
Manchester, Gorton	Rt Hon Sir Gerald Kaufman MP	Labour
Manchester, Withington	Mr John Leech MP	Liberal Democrat
Meon Valley	Mr George Hollingbery MP	Conservative
Mid Dorset and North Poole	Mrs Annette Brooke MP	Liberal Democrat
Mid Norfolk	Mr George Freeman MP	Conservative
Mid Worcestershire	Mr Peter Luff MP	Conservative
Milton Keynes South	Mr Iain Stewart MP	Conservative
Montgomeryshire	Mr Glyn Davies MP	Conservative
Moray	Mr Angus Robertson MP	Scottish National Party
Na h-Eileanan an lar	Mr Angus MacNeil MP	Scottish National Party
Newark	Mr Patrick Mercer OBE MP	Conservative
Newbury	Mr Richard Benyon MP	Conservative
Newcastle Upon Tyne Central	Ms Chi Onwurah MP	Labour
Newcastle upon Tyne North	Ms Catherine McKinnell MP	Labour
Newcastle-under-Lyme	Mr Paul Farrelly MP	Labour
Newport West	Mr Paul Flynn MP	Labour
North Ayrshire and Arran	Ms Katy Clark MP	Labour
North Cornwall	Mr Dan Rogerson MP	Liberal Democrat
North Devon	Mr Nick Harvey MP	Liberal Democrat
North East Bedfordshire	Mr Alistair Burt MP	Conservative
North East Derbyshire	Ms Natascha Engel MP	Labour
North East Hertfordshire	Mr Oliver Heald MP	Conservative
North Norfolk	Mr Norman Lamb MP	Liberal Democrat
North Warwickshire	Mr Dan Byles MP	Conservative
Norwich North	Ms Chloe Smith MP	Conservative
Nottingham South	Ms Lilian Greenwood MP	Labour
Oldham West and Royton	Rt Hon Michael Meacher MP	Labour
Orkney and Shetland	Mr Alistair Carmichael MP	Scottish National Party
Orpington	Mr Jo Johnson MP	Conservative
Oxford East	Rt Hon Andrew Smith MP	Labour
Paisley and Renfrewshire North	Mr Jim Sheridan MP	Labour
Penrith and The Border	Mr Rory Stewart MP	Conservative
Perth and North Perthshire	Mr Peter Wishart MP	Scottish National Party
Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport	Ms Alison Seabeck MP	Labour
Preseli Pembrokeshire	Mr Stephen Crabb MP	Conservative
Putney	Ms Justine Greening MP	Conservative
Redditch	Mrs Karen Lumley MP	Conservative
Rhondda	Mr Chris Bryant MP	Labour
Romsey and Southampton North	Mrs Caroline Nokes MP	Conservative
Salford and Eccles	Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP	Labour
Scunthorpe	Mr Nic Dakin MP	Labour
Sefton Central	Mr Bill Esterson MP	Labour
Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough	Rt Hon David Blunkett MP	Labour
Sheffield Central	Mr Paul Blomfield MP	Labour
Sheffield South East	Mr Clive Betts MP	Labour
Sheffield, Hallam	Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP	Liberal Democrat
Skipton and Ripon	Mr Julian Smith MP	Conservative
Slough	Ms Fiona Mactaggart MP	Labour
Solihull	Ms Lorely Burt MP	Liberal Democrat
South Basildon and East Thurrock	Ms Angela C Smith MP	Labour
South Dorset	Mr Richard Drax MP	Conservative
South Northamptonshire	Mrs Andrea Leadsom MP	Conservative
South West Surrey	Mr Jeremy Hunt MP	Conservative
Southampton, Test	Dr Alan Whitehead MP	Labour
St Albans	Mrs Anne Main MP	Conservative
St Austell and Newquay	Mr Stephen Gilbert MP	Liberal Democrat
St Ives	Mr Andrew George MP	Liberal Democrat
Stafford	Mr Jeremy Lefroy MP	Conservative
Stevenage	Mr Stephen McPartland MP	Conservative
Stirling	Rt Hon Anne McGuire MP	Labour
Stockport	Ms Ann Coffey MP	Labour
Stockton North	Mr Alex Cunningham MP	Labour
Stoke-on-Trent South	Mr Robert Flello MP	Labour
Streatham	Mr Chuka Umunna MP	Labour
Stroud	Mr Neil Carmichael MP	Conservative
Suffolk Coastal	Dr Therese Coffey MP	Conservative
Sutton Coldfield	Mr Andrew Mitchell MP	Conservative
Thornbury and Yate	Prof Steve Webb MP	Liberal Democrat
Tooting	Rt Hon Sadiq Khan MP	Labour
Totnes	Dr Sarah Wollaston MP	Conservative
Tottenham	Rt Hon David Lammy MP	Labour
Twickenham	Dr Vincent Cable MP	Liberal Democrat
Tynemouth	Mr Alan Campbell MP	Labour
Vauxhall	Miss Kate Hoey MP	Labour
Wakefield	Ms Mary Creagh MP	Labour
Walthamstow	Dr Stella Creasy MP	Labour
Watford	Mr Richard Harrington MP	Conservative
Wellingborough	Rt Hon Kevin Barron MP	Liberal Democrat
West Bromwich West	Mr Adrian Bailey MP	Labour
West Dorset	Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP	Conservative
West Ham	Ms Lyn Brown MP	Labour
West Lancashire	Ms Rosie Cooper MP	Labour
Westminster North	Ms Karen Buck MP	Labour
Westmorland and Lonsdale	Mr Tim Farron MP	Liberal Democrat
Wigan	Ms Lisa Nandy MP	Labour
Witney	Rt Hon David Cameron MP	Conservative
Woking	Mr Jonathan Lord MP	Conservative
Wolverhampton South West	Mr Paul Uppal MP	Conservative
Worthing West	Mr Peter Bottomley MP	Conservative
Wycombe	Mr Steve Baker MP	Conservative
York Central	Mr Hugh Bayley MP	Labour