Christian Institute responds to Government’s proposed conversion practices bill

Plans to bring forward a ban on conversion therapy have been included in the King’s Speech, which lays out the Government’s legislative agenda for this parliamentary session.

In response, The Christian Institute’s Deputy Director Simon Calvert said:

“The Christian Institute has obtained legal advice from leading King’s Counsel on every attempt to legislate for conversion therapy in the UK and every time those KCs have advised that there are multiple risks to the human rights of innocent parents, pastors and professionals.

“Hilary Cass indicated that she believes it is probably impossible to legislate on this issue in a way which complies with the findings in her report which highlight the intense pressures already placed on professionals dealing with gender confused young people.

“We very much doubt that Labour can succeed where everyone else has failed.

“Gay and trans people are protected by existing law from abuse. But extending the law to criminalise casual conversations – as anti-conversion therapy activists have demanded- would punish the innocent, not the guilty.

“Nonetheless we welcome the fact that this is a draft bill which requires public consultation and pre-legislative scrutiny. These will reveal the many risks of legislating in this highly controversial space.”