Church leaders make asylum plea

Mr Packer met asylum seekers during the weekend protest

Churches in West Yorkshire have entered the general election debate by urging parties to avoid stoking fears about asylum seekers during the campaign.

About 400 people attended a recent protest in Leeds over the treatment of asylum seekers in Britain.

Organiser Dave Young said churches had serious concerns that the asylum issue was used as a "political football".

The West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council (WYEC) has called for a "radical revision" of current asylum policy.

The organisation, which represents all the major Christian churches in the county, says asylum seekers are often "destitute, terrorised and imprisoned".

We call on our political leaders to refrain from exploiting the plight of asylum-seekers Bishop John Packer

In a statement, the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, the Right Reverend John Packer, said: "The church leaders of West Yorkshire deeply regret the way in which concern for the needs of asylum-seekers seems to have been replaced by a desire to treat them harshly.

"All human beings are created by God and should be treated with dignity and generosity of spirit. The greater their need, the more they deserve our compassion and practical help.

'Good Samaritan'

"We call on our political leaders to refrain from exploiting the plight of asylum-seekers and misleading the electorate by confusing the issues of asylum and immigration.

"We ask for a radical revision of asylum policy so that asylum-seekers are no longer made destitute, terrorised and imprisoned.

"In the light of the parable of the Good Samaritan, we ask Christians to challenge their political candidates on the treatment of asylum-seekers - and to take their response into account when deciding how to vote."

The WYEC said about 400 people gathered for the rally at Millennium Square on Sunday, which was organised by Mr Young from St George's in Leeds.