LGBTQ+ communities in the United Kingdom hoping to see a ban on the dangerous and dis-proven practice known as “conversion Therapy” may now have to wait for a change in government after Boris Johnson’s decision not to pursue a ban.
According to reports by ITV News, an official leaked briefing document confirmed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson “has agreed we should not move forward with legislation to ban LGBT conversion therapy.”
“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,” explained a government spokesperson in the briefing.
According to the leaked document, the U-turn was set to be announced in the upcoming May Queen’s Speech, using the Ukraine war as justification.
“This will allow us to position the decision as prioritising our legislative programme, and reduces the risk of looking like we have singled out an LGBT issue,” the document reads.
“Given the unprecedented circumstances of major pressures on cost of living and the crisis in Ukraine, there is an urgent need to rationalise our legislative programme.”
ITV News also reports that the change in direction appears to have come from Johnson, who previously promised to ban the practice. It is understood that the minister of equalities, Liz Truss and her Equalities Office were not involved in the decision.
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