Anglican leaders warn on hate speech before UK poll

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and his deputy John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, said they were praying for unity as Britons prepare to vote on December 12.

"We call on all standing for election to reject the language of prejudice and not to stoke stigma or hatred towards people on the grounds of their religion, their culture, their origin, their identity or their belief," the pair said.

"We will be praying for debates that seek to unite rather than divide, to bring us together and to rebuild trust in each other, in our institutions, and in our politics." 

Britain has become increasingly split since holding a 2016 referendum on European Union membership which saw a narrow majority vote to leave the 28-member bloc.

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Political deadlock in parliament over how to deliver on the decision has intensified the divisions, with MPs complaining of rising vitriolic abuse and violent threats.

The main opposition Labour party has been repeatedly accused of anti-Semitism while the ruling Conservatives have faced accusations of Islamophobia.

Senior police issued unprecedented guidance to candidates last week, advising them not to canvas alone, to liaise with officers and take "active steps around personal safety".

Meanwhile, candidates for the seat once held by MP Jo Cox, who was murdered by a right-wing extremist in the lead up to the 2016 referendum, have signed a cross-party pledge for an election campaign free of abuse and intimidation.

In their appeal the archbishops urged people to engage with the political process "responsibly" and singled out social media interactions.

"If we leave our echo-chambers and make a conscious effort to listen to people and ideas we disagree with it will help us understand where others are coming from in this election period, even though we may disagree vehemently," they added.