The Royal British Legion has been ranked as the most effective charity at campaigning in an independent survey of MPs.

This is the second consecutive quarter that the charity, which campaigns for the whole Armed Forces family, has topped the nfpSynergy poll.

As well as being ranked as 'very effective' by more than half of all MPs (51%) and as 'somewhat effective' by just over a third (34%), the Legion has come top in the list of charities that have most impressed MPs over the last six months.

A majority of MPs also name it as the charity that first comes to mind on issues affecting the Armed Forces.

The Legion attributes MPs' growing support largely to its 'Time to do your bit' campaign.

Launched at last year's party conferences to promote the charity's general election manifesto the campaign had seen almost a thousand general election candidates (PPCs, including those MPs seeking re-election) pledge 'to do their bit' (as of April 6) .

MPs who have pledged to do their bit include Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg as well as all three of the main parties' frontbench defence teams and prominent members of the Cabinet and opposition parties' frontbenches.

The Legion has made clear that each pledge is personal to the MP or PPC making it and that it is entirely up to them how they do their bit.

So by pledging, they are not endorsing the charity's general election manifesto.

The Legion's director of corporate communications, Stuart Gendall, said: "We're delighted to have topped the poll. It's a great boost for the Legion and especially for the campaign to know that MPs rate what we do.

"Our 'time to do your bit' campaign really seems to have struck a chord. We're obviously hopeful that the party leaders will take note of the sheer volume of pledges we've received and that that will be reflected in their manifestos.

"To date 79% of Lib Dem MPs have pledged, compared with 64% and 51% of Tory and Labour MPs respectively. The fact that more than 350 MPs (of whom 325 are seeking re-election) and well over 650 PPCs have already pledged is great news, but there's still time for more."

MPs and PPCs yet to pledge can do so via the campaign website, www.timetodoyourbit.org.uk.

Members of the public can also encourage their candidates to pledge to do their bit at the same web address.

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