The official report states that the Prime Minister decided not to outlaw the practice, despite repeated promises by Boris Johnson and his predecessor Theresa May that it would be banned. Conversion therapy attempts to change or suppress one’s sexuality or gender identity and is already outlawed in many other countries. But a Downing Street document seen by ITV News states: “The prime minister has agreed that we should not legislate to ban LGBT conversion therapy.” Credit: ITV News The briefing is titled “Conversion Therapy Plan” and acknowledges that there will be a “noisy reaction from LGBT groups and some MPs when we announce that we do not intend to move forward”. He went on to warn: “The LGBT sector will read this decision as a message that the government is not interested in LGBT issues” and outlines how the consequences could be minimized. A law banning conversion therapy was announced at last year’s Queen’s Speech, after the government first promised it in 2018. Since then, legislation has been delayed due to repeated consultations on how a ban might work. The document advises announcing the reversal as part of this year’s Queen’s Speech in early May, suggesting: “This will allow us to prioritize the decision in our legislative program and reduce the risk of looking like we have singled out an LGBT issue.” It sets out how the government should answer critical questions about the decision. “Given the unprecedented conditions of high cost of living and the crisis in Ukraine, there is an urgent need to streamline our legislative program,” he said. However, the document warns that those involved in plotting a ban have not yet been informed of the policy change, including by Equality Minister Liz Tras. “While Liz is not ideologically committed to the law, she is likely to be concerned about ownership of the new post, having personally committed to passing the bill,” he says. He also advises that Mike Freer, another minister in the Bureau of Equality, may resign, and that the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for LGBT Affairs, Lord Herbert, may also consider his position. In parliament on Wednesday, Mr Freer said the government remained “fully committed” to proposing a ban on conversion therapy. Mr Freer told lawmakers that the government would develop legislation on the practice, which would be submitted later this spring. However, the leaked document now calls all this into question. There has been strong criticism of a ban in Parliament, including some Conservative MPs who are worried about how it will affect religious freedoms, with the vast majority of conversion therapy taking place in religious settings. The document lists 30 MPs the government could possibly invite to support its decision. Almost all the MPs named are straight, while only one is known to be openly gay. Responding to the document, the leader of the campaign to ban conversion therapy – Jayne Ozanne said the leaked plans were “completely ridiculous” and that the government had broken “every promise” it made about conversion therapy. “I gave [the prime minister] “the advantage of doubt, believing that he would keep his word and deliver to the LGBT community what they promised us,” he said. “How can we trust those in power when they deny any promise made and do not seem to understand the damage that so many people are doing in Britain today?” Ms Ozanne, who is campaigning for LGBT rights within the Church of England, resigned last year from the government’s LGBT advisory committee, accusing ministers of creating a “hostile environment” for LGBT people. The news comes as the government prepares to host an international LGBT conference in June. “The domestic and LGBT sectors are likely to claim that we have lost the ability to speak as a world leader on LGBT rights,” the document warns. It sets out a number of policies that ministers can advocate for advocating for their approach to the LGBT community, such as introducing gay marriage for couples in Northern Ireland and appointing the first National LGBT Health Counselor in the UK. Responding to the leak, Downing Street said: “Having thoroughly investigated this sensitive issue, the government has decided to look into how existing legislation can be enforced more effectively to avoid this as quickly as possible and to investigate the use of other non-legislative measures. ” ITV News spoke with Gareth Patterson, who underwent conversion therapy when he was in his twenties. Mr. Patterson – who now works as a doctor – grew up in the Christian community and spoke about the devastating effects of conversion therapy. “Culturally, I thought it was the only option for me to reshape my sexuality,” she told ITV News. “What he is doing is completely questioning so many parts of your whole being,” he added.
