Redgraves launch political party

The Redgraves are veteran political activists

Campaigning British actors Vanessa Redgrave and her brother Corin have launched a political party to focus on the sole issue of human rights.

Ms Redgrave pledged the Peace and Progress Party would challenge the government at the next election.

More than 300 people attended the founding conference in central London on Saturday.

They want UK troops withdrawn from Iraq, the repeal of anti-asylum laws and all Third World debt cancelled.

Ms Redgrave said she was unsure how many general election candidates would be fielded but stressed that they would fight solely on a human rights platform.

People think that human rights concern very few people but it is part of all human life Vanessa Redgrave

She added: "We wouldn't want to rob the Liberal Democrats of the chance to oust Labour".

The new party's manifesto urges people who do not normally vote to come out and pledge support.

The Oscar-winning actress Vanessa has backed many political causes over the years.

She was among a delegation that lobbied outside the US Supreme Court in Washington DC last March, denouncing treatment of inmates at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

Azmat Begg, father of Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg, is on the new party's steering committee.

He told Saturday's founding conference: "There is no other party which is talking about human rights, no other party which is talking about these important issues.

Ms Redgrave added: "People think that human rights concern very few people but it is part of all human life.

"It is to do with security, education, immigration, asylum, all sorts of issues."