THE General Election has at last been announced.

Amnesty International is sure that asylum and the treatment of refugees will be a prominent issue in the run up to the election. We are, therefore, calling for our local parliamentary candidates to ensure that the asylum debate is conducted in a way which does not foster racism or prejudice.

Many of the people who claim asylum here have fled persecution - they are a small number of the world's millions of refugees. They have often suffered terribly and lost everything but they are simply seeking a place of safety.

Let's ensure that every person that comes here to claim asylum is treated with respect and has their case properly judged on its merits. We very much hope that local parliamentary candidates will contribute to a healthy and well informed debate regarding asylum seekers and refugees.

MALVERN HILLS AMNESTY GROUP.