Thirty of the candidates received less than one per cent of the votes cast. Twenty six out 37 received the lowest number of votes in their constituency. In Cheltenham more voters preferred Dancing Ken Hanks of the Raving Loony party. Hampstead and Highgate's Sister Xnunoftheabove, an Independent candidate, beat Mary Teale who also scored the least number of votes of all the PLA's candidates, with 92. This was less than the lowest score in 1997, which was just 99 votes. Josephine Quintavalle, a prominent anti-choice campaigner, scraped 179 votes, just a few more than Ginger Crab and the Jam Wrestling Party.

In 1997, the greatest number of votes received by any ProLife Alliance candidate was 1170 in East Kilbride. In 2001, the most votes any candidate picked up was 475 in Mole Valley. None of the candidates will retain a deposit.

The poor showing of the ProLife Alliance at the polls is a clear indication that people in Britain support the availability of legal abortion. The fact that its support has fallen by 25 per cent vindicates the view of BPAS that abortion is increasingly seen as a legitimate and morally responsible solution to unwanted pregnancy.

Ann Furedi said : 'This shows how little support there is for extreme anti-abortion views.'

For further comment call Ann Furedi on 07711 829 672 or Amanda Callaghan on 0777 599 1588.

BPAS is the UK's largest independent abortion provider and is a non-profit-making charity.