Green Party manifesto includes LGBT asylum commitments

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The UK Green Party election manifesto, launched April 16 in Brighton, one of Britain's 'gayest' cities, includes the following commitment:

"Ensure safe haven and refugee status for LGBT people fleeing persecution in violently homophobic and transphobic countries."

This follows on from its inclusion in the party's LGBT manifesto, launched in February.

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas told the launch:

“We are delighted that our general election manifesto includes strong commitments to further extend the rights and freedoms of LGBT people.”

She told LGF News:

"The treatment gay and lesbian asylum seekers receive from the British immigration system is nowhere near acceptable and we have worked very hard to support several asylum seekers who were under threat of deportation while under unimaginably enormous mental stress."

"Our co-spokesperson, who is a lesbian, is working with someone on their claim right now - this person has been turned down by the adjudicator, but I can't go into too much detail as her appeal is pending.  If she is refused leave to remain we will be fighting her case."

"Jean Lambert, the Greens's other MEP, was instrumental in getting a decision to deport a gay man to likely execution in Iran reversed by shaming the Labour government into reviewing his case."

Green Party LGBT National Spokesperson Phelim Mac Cafferty said:

"Gordon Brown’s government’s refusal to offer asylum to LGBT refugees who have suffered beatings' imprisonment' and torture on the grounds that they will not be at risk of homophobic persecution if they simply hide their sexuality and stop having gay relationships' shows that while making some progressive decisions for gay people in this country' Labour are not beyond criticism. In fact' Labour practices double standards by not making similar demands on political or religious refugees."

• Green Party manifesto (PDF)