Responding to government’s ‘conversion therapy’ ban announcement

17 January 2023

Today the government has announced that it will ban what the LGBT lobby describe as ‘conversion therapy’, and that the ban will cover transgender people.

The government has said there are worries that a ban including transgender people could have “unintended consequences.”

Campaigners against the ban say it will criminalise prayer and certain types of consensual conversations and is a serious infringement on free speech and human rights.

Responding to the news, Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, commented: “Legislating in this area is plagued with problems and the government’s own research suggests that it is not necessary. It will end up criminalising consensual conversations with those who genuinely want help and support. Human rights will be breached and any legislation will be the subject of extensive legal challenge.

“No one has produced any evidence of what LGBT activists call coercive ‘conversion therapy’. What the activists describe would already be illegal.

“This ban is all about silencing and criminalising anyone who questions or opposes homosexuality.

“The government’s proposals would only stop people seeking the change they want to see in their lives. That is a basic freedom which the government should not try to take away.

“Despite what the government has announced today, the problems remain: the definitions are inadequate, human rights will be breached and there is no evidence that a ban will help anyone. In such a scenario the Christian Legal Centre faces no alternative but to continue preparations for legal action against any proposed legislation in this area.

“Leading international human rights lawyer, Roger Kiska, has produced a thorough legal opinion that shows that any ban on conversion therapy would breach human rights.”

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