UK government’s cancelled LGBTQ+ conference could cost £600,000
The UK government’s cancelled global LGBTQ+ conference could cost almost £600,000, official estimates have revealed. There has been widespread outrage at the government’s numerous U-turns on a comprehensive ‘conversion therapy’ ban, which has now resulted in a watered down version of what was originally promised.
More than 100 organisations dropped out of the Safe to Be Me event as a result of the backtracking including Stonewall, the Terrence Higgins Trust and the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics.
The conference was due to take place this summer to coincide with the 50th anniversary of London’s first Pride marches, though plans for it were eventually scrapped entirely – breaking a manifesto pledge made by the Conservative Party during the last general election.
Mike Freer, the equalities minister, told the House of Commons that Safe to Be Me had already incurred costs of £365,000 at the time of its cancellation.
