Welsh Government blasts Boris Johnson’s partial gay conversion therapy U-turn for not including trans people as they seek ‘urgent legal advice’ to overrule him
- Downing Street tried to ditch pledge to outlaw barbaric conversion practice
- But PM forced into a U-turn within hours after his own MPs led an outcry
- The Welsh government criticised the PM for not including trans people in u-turn
- It said it is seeking ‘urgent legal advice’ to see if it could unilaterally overrule him
- Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that ‘all conversion therapy … is wrong’
- Added: ‘They (Tories) they don’t want us focusing on the cost-of-living crisis’
The Welsh Government has blasted Boris Johnson for his partial U-turn on gay conversion therapy, and has criticised him for not including trans people as it seeks ‘urgent legal advice’ to overrule him.
Downing Street was at the centre of a farcical double-U-turn last night after it was revealed it was ditching a pledge to outlaw the practice – before an outcry forced it to back down.
A document leaked yesterday suggested the Prime Minister had decided not to legislate against 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 Welsh Government said it will commission ‘urgent legal advice’ to see if it can unilaterally ban conversion therapy for the whole LGBT community, including trans people.
Mr Johnson is under pressure to also ban the therapy for trans people and was today accused of using the row over conversion therapy for gay and trans people to deflect attention from a massive increase in the cost of living.
Hannah Blythyn, the deputy minister for social partnership, has blasted Boris Johnson for his partial U-turn on gay conversion therapy, and criticised him for not including trans people
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’
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer , speaking on a visit to Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, said that ‘all conversion therapy in all its forms is wrong’.
In a statement, Hannah Blythyn, the deputy minister for social partnership, said the ‘partial U-turn’ from the UK government is ‘not a victory’ and that the ‘LGBTQ+ community stands as one’.
She said: ‘I can announce that the Welsh Government will be commissioning urgent legal advice on the unilateral action we are able to take to ban conversion ‘therapy.’
‘We will do all we can within our devolved powers to protect our LGBTQ+ community.
‘We can no longer have faith that the UK Government will do the same. We will also seek the devolution of any necessary additional powers required to see this through.’
Ms Blythyn said it was ‘alarming and shameful’ to see how the LGBTQ+ community has been ‘dismissed’ by the UK government.
‘This is wholly unacceptable’, she added.
‘The entirely justified backlash expressed by the LGBTQ+ community, friends, families, allies and Welsh Government will be far more than noise to be managed.’
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, speaking on a visit to Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, said that ‘all conversion therapy in all its forms is wrong’.
But he added: ‘Let’s be honest and clear about what’s happening today – the Government is trying to get us all to talk about conversion therapy because they don’t want us focusing on the cost-of-living crisis, on the increase in energy bills, where they’ve got such a pathetic response.
‘So it’s wrong, the Government should keep to its promises. But, you know, this is classic Conservative, trying to sort of distract people over here, when really the issue is the cost of living and energy prices.’
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.
The u-turn comes after Equalities Minister Mike Freer told MPs on Wednesday that the Government was ‘wholly committed’ to legislation
Rutland MP Alicia Kearns tweeted: ‘If true, I’m pleased the Prime Minister has listened to our colleagues. However we cannot exclude our trans friends – why should quacks and charlatans be allowed to continue to cause life-long harm to them?’
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’.
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.
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.’
The Prime Minister was said to have ‘changed his mind’ after seeing the reaction to the earlier announcement, and that the legislation would cover ‘only gay conversion therapy, not trans’.
But even this has angered some Tory backbenchers.
Rutland MP Alicia Kearns tweeted: ‘If true, I’m pleased the Prime Minister has listened to our colleagues. However we cannot exclude our trans friends – why should quacks and charlatans be allowed to continue to cause life-long harm to them?’
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