Government Commits To Banning Gay Conversion Therapy After Three Equalities Advisors Quit
Boris Johnson said his government was committed to banning conversion therapy after three equalities advisors quit over a lack of action (Alamy)
3 min read
The prime minister said ending conversion therapy is "technically complex" but insisted he was committed to "stamp it out" after three government equalities advisers resigned over a lack of action.
Equalities minister Liz Truss said she will announce a full ban on the practise “shortly”, after fears ministers were planning to stop short of outlawing it entirely.
It comes after Jayne Ozanne revealed on Wednesday she was quitting the government's LGBT+ Advisory Panel, accusing it of creating a “hostile environment”.
She said she had been “astonished” at the “ignorance” of Truss and her fellow equalities ministers Kemi Badenoch, who she said were “known among the community as the ministers for inequality”.
Following her resignation two further advisors also stood down, James Morton, who accused ministers of a "lack of engagement" with the panel, and Ellen Murray, who said she decided to leave "due to the government's persistent and worsening hostility towards our community in myriad areas".
During a visit to Northern Ireland today Boris Johnson was asked about their decision, and told reporters: "I think this practice is repulsive and I think it's abhorrent, and I'm sorry these advisers have gone, but be in no doubt that we will deal with this issue.
"It is technically complex to deal with but we're determined to take further steps to stamp it out.”
At the same time Truss spoke on a trip to Scotland, saying the government was “very committed to LGBT equality”.
“We’ve recently brought forward plans to improve healthcare for transgender people.
“And we'll shortly be bringing forward plans to ban conversion therapy, which is an abhorrent practice.”
Asked if she would completely outlaw the practice, she said: "We are committed to that and we'll shortly be bringing forward plans to do so."
Campaigners have criticised the government for failing to act after Theresa May as PM promised to end conversion therapy in 2018, a pledge reiterated by her successor in Number 10 last year.
In response Tory MP Alicia Kearns tweeted: “This is so utterly important and I’m very pleased to see Liz Truss recommit to #BanConversionTherapy - we will deliver this life-saving ban.”
Labour MP Angela Eagle posted: “If true then about time! I’ll believe it when I see it - we want actions from this government on this issue now not warm words.”
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