Abortion clinics get advertising go-ahead
Private clinics have been given the go-ahead to promote their services, including abortion, through television and radio adverts, the Daily Mail reports.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt is said to be "very unhappy" with the decision but has no authority to overturn the ruling made by the Advertising Standards Authority.
Conservative MP Nadine Dorries said that the adverts crossed "ethical boundaries" and accused the clinics of trying to "piggy back" abortion onto other issues, including sexual health.
Pro-life campaign groups have responded angrily to the news, suggesting it would "trivialise" human life.
Dr Dan Boucher from the charity CARE, said: "The idea that abortions should be freely advertised on TV along with toothpaste and breakfast cereal says something very sad about the way in which the values of our consumer culture, of acquiring and disposing, are penetrating our way of life generally, even our approach to life itself."