Shirley-Anne Sommorville is one of fifty-one MSPs in Scotland, from across the SNP, Labour, Green and Liberal Democrat parties, to sign the pledge.

It comes as the debate surrounding immigration and refugees in Scottish and UK politics becomes increasingly polarised.

Scottish Refugee Council (SRC) said: “More than a third of MSPs have taken our pledge to detoxify the debate around immigration by speaking about refugees with dignity and compassion.

“We’ve seen first-hand the damage caused when dehumanising language is used to describe refugees and people seeking asylum. And we’ve experienced the fear and division it causes in our communities.

“That’s why we’ve asked members of Scottish Parliament to take our pledge to improve standards of debate.”

The promise, as laid out by SRC, is as follows:

“I pledge to respect the privilege of public office, and to use my position to de-escalate political tensions by:

Speaking about refugees and people seeking asylum with dignity and compassion.

Avoiding language that dehumanises, stereotypes, or fosters division.

Promoting public understanding rooted in fact, fairness, and empathy.

Upholding the responsibility of political leadership to nurture the development of human rights.”

On why the MSP for Dunfermline signed, she said: “I signed the Scottish Refugee Council pledge because I feel how we talk about refugees and people seeking asylum genuinely matters.

“Behind every statistic is a human being who is fleeing war or persecution and I believe our politics should never lose sight of that. 

“Immigration is also vital to Scotland’s economy.

“People who come here make a huge contribution to our communities and to our public services, like the NHS.

“At a time when the airwaves are full of fear and misinformation, Scotland should lead by our values and always treat people with respect and compassion.”