The UK government is no longer planning to introduce a ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy’, a leaked document has revealed.
Boris Johnson will reportedly link the decision to needing to focus on issues like the war in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis, according to leaked documents seen by ITV News. ‘Conversion therapy’ is typically defined as any attempt at changing a person’s sexuality or gender identity, often involving techniques such as electroshock therapy or prayer.
It has been widely condemned by health experts all over the world, with some comparing it to torture. Among these are the National Health Service, World Health Organisation, World Psychiatric Association and the United Nations.
The government has been promising to ban the practice since 2018 and the plans were confirmed during the Queen’s Speech in 2021, though these have now been shelved entirely. “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,” the document, titled the Conversion Therapy Handling Plan, reportedly states.