Conversion therapy ban ditched as government abandons long-promised plan – iNews

The Government has backtracked on its long-promised policy to introduce a new law banning conversion therapy.

Boris Johnson and his predecessor Theresa May had long-promised to outlaw the practice and it has been one of the Governments flagship LGBT+ policies.

But Downing Street has now decided to explore non-legislative measures.

The decision led to accusations No 10 had let down those it promised to support and throws the upcoming LGBT conference, due to be held in the UK, into doubt.

i understands the Equalities Office was blindsided by the change in tact, which was revealed in a document leaked to ITV News.

Equalities Minister Mike Freer has repeatedly said the Government would bring forward the legislation telling MPs as recently as Wednesday that the Government was wholly committed to banning conversion therapy.

Just hours before the government confirmed the decision, Mr Freer had tweeted in support of banning the practice.

According to the document, Mr Johnson agreed with the plan not to introduce the legislation as promised.

A Government spokesperson said: Having explored this sensitive issue in great depth the government has decided to proceed by reviewing how existing law can be deployed more effectively to prevent this in the quickest way possible, and explore the use of other non-legislative measures.

Conversion therapy refers to any form of treatment that seeks to change someones sexuality or supress their gender identity.

Equalities Secretary Liz Truss said in written Government documents that she wanted to ban the coercive and abhorrent practice by introducing a new criminal offence and to ensure that conversion therapy is recognised appropriately when it is the motivation for an existing crime.

In the consultation on the issue, the Government wrote: Our intention is to bring forward a ban in the criminal law that is supported by additional civil interventions that will ensure these practices are ended. Our approach has been built on a detailed assessment of the existing legislative framework to identify gaps that currently allow conversion therapy to continue.

Liberal Democrat Equalities Spokesperson Wera Hobhouse MP said the u-turn was giving the green light to a form of torture in the UK adding: This is an utter betrayal of the LGBT+ community.

Conversion therapy should have been banned years ago, but the Conservatives are looking the other way on this abusive and dangerous practice, this is a complete injustice. The Government must ban it without dither or delay.

Labours shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said: Conversion therapy is no such thing. It is harmful, psychological abuse and it should be banned. The Conservatives have once again broken their promises. Only Labour governments can be trusted to deliver on LGBT+ equality.

LGBT+ charity Stonewall said the news coming after years of delay was devastating.

Conversion practices cause extreme and often lifelong distress to LGBTQ+ people. Countries around the world are acting to ban this homophobic, biphobic and transphobic abuse, and it is shameful that the UK government is not amongst them, they said.

We call on the governments of Wales and Scotland to make good their promise to end conversion practices in their own jurisdictions. LGBTQ+ people in the UK deserve better than this.

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Conversion therapy ban ditched as government abandons long-promised plan - iNews