London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Victory for common sense? UK govt plans to BAN conversion therapies for children & vulnerable adults

Victory for common sense? UK govt plans to BAN conversion therapies for children & vulnerable adults

A UK government plan to criminalise non-consensual sexuality conversion therapy has drawn a mixed response; critics claim it could be “weaponised” against trans groups, while supporters have termed it a “victory for common sense.”

The proposed plan will make it illegal to try to coerce unwilling individuals – particularly children and vulnerable adults unable to properly consent – to change their sexual preferences or gender identity. But it will permit consenting adults to choose to undergo controversial conversion therapy programmes – while also placing “robust and stringent” requirements on informed consent.

While violent forms of conversion therapy are already punishable under separate offences, the new plan will reportedly make all forms of such therapies punishable by a maximum five-year prison term. The proposal also notes that sentencing for violent offences found to be motivated by conversion therapy must consider it a “potential aggravating factor.”

Announcing a six-week public consultation until December 10 to determine how to legislate the ban, the Government Equalities Office (GEO) stated on Friday that it would explore appropriate sentencing for “physical conversion therapy acts” and introduce ‘Conversion Therapy Protection Orders’ to protect potential victims – which would include seizing the passports of those deemed at risk of being taken overseas for conversion therapy.


Following the consultation period, Women and Equalities Minister Liz Truss will tailor the proposal according to the responses, with the aim of preparing and drawing up legislation by spring 2022. The GEO said it had developed a “practical package of interventions” after discussions with key stakeholders and victims of conversion therapy – many of whom detailed the negative impacts on their mental health.

“There should be no place for the abhorrent practice of coercive conversion therapy in our society,” Truss said, adding that the government was committed to banning an “archaic practice that has no place in modern life” to “make sure LGBT people can live their lives free from the threat of harm or abuse.”

Under the proposals, the work done by regulated medical professionals like psychiatrists and doctors will be protected. But unidentified government sources told The Times that organisations such as Mermaids – a non-profit that counsels children with so-called gender dysphoria – could be outlawed.

The announcement prompted a mixture of responses from social media users, with several commenters applauding the move as a “victory for common sense” that would “save thousands from irreversible harm.” But critics viewed the proposal with suspicion. One person said it “completely [misunderstands] the power dynamics” in conversion therapy and claimed it would be “weaponised” against trans charities.



Noting that “love” was “not a pathology” that needed “treating,” Conservative MP Alicia Kearns tweeted that the “robust” proposals would “protect LGBTQ+ people from bigotry and quackery packaged up by sinister charlatans to snare and profit off the vulnerable.”

But a number of people, including Kearns, raised concerns about the “legal definition” of coercion and the informed consent requirements – with some calling it a possible “loophole”. The government’s former LGBT adviser, Jayne Ozanne, criticised the plan for exempting religious practices. According to the GEO, religious teachings and private prayer would not be construed as conversion therapy.


“If LGBT+ people are being shamed & pressured to go straight by family, religious leaders or their peers, they cannot give genuine consent,” LGBT activist Peter Tatchell tweeted.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
×