More than 50 religious organisations have lent their support to a pledge which asks UK citizens to use their votes to help fight racism and discrimination in politics.
Although the pledge does not specifically name the British National Party as the target, it urges voters to be “aware of the political forces who would seek to divide our country by promoting ideology of racism and prejudice.”
The initiative, organised by the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Council for Racial Equality and the Three Faiths Forum, has signed up 56 organisations to the pledge.
It states: “We are immensely proud of the fundamentally British characteristics of equality, respect and fairness and of British society’s uncompromising rejection of the demonisation of any group, whether religious, ethnic or otherwise.
“We therefore urge every British citizen to use their vote to support any party of their choice which stands opposed to the destructive politics of hatred, to vote for freedom not fear, partnerships not prejudice, and hope not hate.
“We are united in our opposition to the politics of hate. “
The pledge has been signed by the United Synagogue, Liberal Judaism, Masorti Synagogues and the Chief Rabbi. It was also backed by Jewish welfare organisations including the CST, the Holocaust Educational Trust and Jewish Care.
The full list of signatories
Aliph Aleph UK, Assembly of Masorti Synagogues, Board of Deputies of British Jews, British ORT, Christian Muslim Forum, Church of England, Churches Together in England, City Circle, City Hindus Network, City Sikhs Network, Coexistence Trust, Community Security Trust, Resource - The Jewish Employment Advice Centre, Faith Matters, Federation of Poles of Great Britain, Federation of Student Islamic Societies, Federation of Synagogues, Friends, Families and Travellers, Hindu Academy, Holocaust Educational Trust, Hope Not Hate, Institute of Jainology, Jain Samaj Europe, JAMI, Jewish Action & Training, Jewish Council for Racial Equality, Jewish Blind and Disabled, Jewish Care, Jewish Community Housing , Jewish Leadership Council, Jewish Lads and Girls Brigade, Joseph Interfaith Foundation, Kick It Out, League of Jewish Women, Leo Baeck College, Liberal Judaism, London Jewish Forum, Maccabi, Methodist Church, Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, Movement for Reform Judaism, Muslim Council of Britain, Muslim Safety Forum, Office of Chief Rabbi, Operation Black Vote, Sikh Human Rights Group, Sikhs in England, Spanish & Portuguese Jews' Congregation , St Ethelburga’s Centre for Peace & Reconciliation, Three Faiths Forum, UJIA, Union of Jewish Students, United Synagogue, World Jewish Relief, Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe.
