Clare takes up politics

ANTHONY CLARE, Radio 4's psychiatrist to the famous, is going into politics. Prompted mainly by a desire to influence forthcoming legislation on abortion, he is standing in elections for the Irish Senate.

The host of In The Psychiatrist's Chair, who is director of St Patrick's Psychiatric Hospital in Dublin, has entered a contest for one of three seats representing the graduate body of the National University of Ireland.

Professor Clare believes abortion should be available in 'certain limited, difficult circumstances', but he also argues that 'if we had a comprehensive, integrated policy on the counselling of pregnant women and an open approach to contraception, we would not have so many women going to England for abortions'.