Faith and ethnic communities are appealing to voters to support parties opposed to the politics of hatred and fear on May 6.

The Three Faiths Forum is encouraging as many faith organisations as possible to make an election pledge upholding equality and respect.

The pledge states: “With the approach of the General Election we are all too aware of those political forces who would seek to divide our country by promoting ideologies of racism and prejudice.

“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.”

The pledge has been backed a wide spread of religious bodies, including the Church of England, the Methodist Church, the Christian Muslim Forum, the Jewish Leadership Council, Sikhs in England, and the Muslim Council of Britain.

It comes as the President of the Methodist Church, the Rev David Gamble, warned that choosing not to vote in the election would open the door to more extremist elements.

“The Churches’ agenda is to promote justice, equality and freedom for all. By staying away from the polling booth we let people with an agenda of fear and discrimination elect our representatives,” he said in an appeal made to voters alongside the Baptist Union of Great Britain and United Reformed Church on Thursday.

“We must never forget it was only a few generations ago that women were not permitted to vote in this country, and many Christians overseas live in countries without regular free and fair elections. We do a disservice to those who fought for the vote if we don’t use this opportunity to make our voices heard.”