Appeal to party leaders: don’t solicit religious votes
Letter sent to seven major party leaders in Great Britain 6 March 2015
I hope that you share my belief that religious politics are a scourge to any nation. For that reason, I am asking all the leaders of the main political parties in Great Britain to make some simple pledges for the period up to the General Election:
1) Your party will not solicit financial or electoral support on religious grounds (any religion);
2) Your party will not give any form of special access to policy-making or campaigning to any religious group;
3) Your party will publicly repudiate any person or organization who solicits support for it on any religious basis (for or against any religion);
Each of these pledges should be applied at both national and local level. None would preclude your party and its candidates from answering questions from religious organizations or individuals, or taking part in open meetings organized by them.
I am writing in identical terms to all the other leaders of major parties seeking election in Great Britain, and copying this letter to the National Secular Society and the British Humanist Association. I would appreciate an early reply, which I would intend to make public. I will assume from any protracted silence that your party is unable to make these pledges.
