Government u-turns on plans to ban conversion therapy in the UK
Boris Johnson u-turns on plans to ban conversion therapy in the UK just one day after equalities minister said the Government was ‘wholly committed’ to legislation
A leaked Downing Street paper seen by ITV News revealed the plan was droppedEqualities minister said just yesterday the govt. was ‘wholly committed’ to plansThe move has been strongly condemned by Labour and Lib. Democrats
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A PLANNED ban on gay conversion therapy was in chaos last night after it was claimed Boris Johnson had ditched the proposals – only to back down in the face of a fierce backlash.
A document leaked yesterday suggested the Prime Minister had decided not to outlaw the practice, which attempts to change someone’s sexuality or gender identity.
However, late last night Mr Johnson changed his mind after a strong reaction from Conservative MPs and ministers, ITV News reported.
It has now been claimed that the law banning conversion therapy will be in the Queen’s Speech in May, although it will not cover transgender therapy.
The Government has dropped plans to legislate to ban so-called conversion therapy, it has been confirmed. ITV News obtained a leaked document stating ‘the PM has agreed we should not move forward with legislation’
The u-turn comes after Equalities Minister Mike Freer told MPs on Wednesday that the Government was ‘wholly committed’ to legislation
While a ban on the abhorrent method of claiming to convert gays into straight people was uncontroversial, some expressed concerns over plans to stop therapists helping children with ‘gender dysphoria’ decide whether they really want to transition. Campaigners warned the legislation was so badly drafted that teachers could end up in court if they do not allow children to use opposite sex toilets or let boys play in girls’ sports teams.
The Downing Street paper seen by ITV News said: ‘The PM has agreed we should not move forward with legislation to ban LGBT conversion therapy.’ The leaked Conversion Therapy Handling Plan admitted that there will be a ‘noisy backlash from LGBT groups and some parliamentarians when we announce we do not intend to proceed’.
Within hours of the news breaking, the Prime Minister was also facing outrage from many in his own party. Red Wall MP Dehenna Davison said: ‘This decision is fundamentally wrong, and needs to be reversed immediately.
‘As well as breaking an explicit promise, this is a matter of basic decency. Being gay is not something that needs curing.’
And Conservative backbencher Alicia Kearns said: ‘Damn the objectors – Conservatives must stand against mental and physical torture.’
The strength of feeling was so great that within a few hours, it was claimed that Downing Street had performed another U-turn to ban gay conversion therapy.
Tory MP Michael Fabricant last night welcomed the change of heart, saying: ‘The reaction ensured the Government stayed on track.’
The Conversion Therapy Handling Plan had warned: ‘The LGBT sector will read this decision as a signal the Government is uninterested in LGBT issues’ and sets out how the fallout could be minimised. The document had admitted that relevant ministers have not yet been informed about the change of policy, including Liz Truss, who is minister for women and equalities as well as Foreign Secretary.
‘While Liz is not ideologically committed to the legislation she is likely to be concerned about owning the new position, having personally committed to delivering the Bill’, it said.
Chair of the Labour party and Shadow Equalities Secretary Annelise Dodds said today the Government’s u-turn on conversion therapy legislation was an ‘outrageous decision’. ‘A government that believes conversion therapy is acceptable in 21st century Britain is no friend of the LGBT+ community,’ she tweeted
The drawing up of legislation to ban all forms of conversion therapy in the UK was announced last October by Liz Truss. At the time, Truss said the safeguarding under-18s was a key a priority and pledged that future laws will place a strong emphasis on preventing children undergoing any practices considered to be conversion therapies
It is understood that Miss Truss, who is in India, only found out yesterday afternoon about Mr Johnson’s first U-turn. She was said to be ‘digesting’ the news.
And it had warned that Mike Freer, a junior equalities minister, could have resigned over the issue, along with the Prime Minister’s special envoy on LGBT issues, Lord Herbert.
Only on Wednesday, Mr Freer told MPs that the Government remained ‘wholly committed’ to bringing forward proposals to ban conversion therapy.
Stonewall had tweeted last night, before Mr Johnson reversed the U-turn, that the Government was ‘walking away from its commitment to end conversion therapy’.
