Actress Vanessa Redgrave founds political party
Last Updated Mon, 29 Nov 2004 17:46:10 EST

LONDON - Actress Vanessa Redgrave, who won an Oscar in 1978, has founded a political party dedicated to protecting human rights.

Called the Peace and Progress Party, it will field candidates in the next British general election.

Redgrave' s party will also endorse politicians who have a record of defending human rights.

Redgrave is known for being outspoken in support of her favourite causes.

When she accepted the Academy Award for her supporting turn in Julia, she used the opportunity to declare her affinity for the Palestinian people – earning boos when she derided the " Zionist hoodlums."

The new party is designed to call attention to the alleged abuse taking place in Guantanamo Bay and Iraq.

" Our goal is to ring the alarm bells about the human rights abuses our government is sanctioning, and to act as a focus for people who want to stand up against them," her brother and fellow activist, Corin Redgrave, said on Saturday at the party' s founding conference.

One idea the party is mulling is putting forward four British prisoners at Guantanamo Bay as candidates.

" It could be one highly effective way of sending a message through the polls," Corin Redgrave said.