Anti-Abortion Protests Slam Oscar Hopeful

Mike Leigh's award-winning drama Vera Drake has been hit by protests from anti-abortion groups.

The independent film, about backstreet abortion in 1950s London, has been nominated for three OSCARS at next month's (FEB05) Academy Awards.

However the British film, starring Imelda Staunton, has been blasted by anti-abortion groups who claim the film is a form of pro-abortion propaganda which misrepresents history.

PHYLLIS BOWMAN from the RIGHT TO LIFE group says, "The way in which the pro-abortion lobby made abortion legal was through exaggerated claims about deaths caused by back-street abortions.

"Nobody claimed any back-street abortionist was an altruist. They were regarded as money-grabbing little women who out to get what they could from neighbours in trouble.

"The reason why they are being canonised now is that the abortion lobby knows it is losing public support."