Stonewall statement on the UK Government’s commitment to banning conversion practices in the King's Speech

Ben Whur (he/him), Managing Director at Stonewall, said: ‘We welcome the new Government’s commitment to banning conversion practices. Each day that these abusive practices remain legal, our communities are put at risk.   

‘Legislation was first committed to over 6 years ago and yet, despite relentless campaigning, it has failed to materialise. The Government needs to urgently publish a comprehensive Bill to ban these abhorrent practices once and for all.’  

Notes to Editors  

- The UK Government first outlined plans to ban conversion practices in 2018 – and introduced plans to bring forward a bill in the 2021 Queen’s Speech, which did not come about. For years, the UK Government has failed to protect our communities by failing to legislate and allowing these abusive practices to continue.   

- A Report from Galop (2023) found that 1 in 5 (18%) LGBT+ people in the UK having been subjected to someone trying to change, ‘cure’ or suppress their sexual orientation or gender identity.  

- The UK Government’s National LGBT Survey (2017) found that 2% of respondents had undergone conversion or reparative therapy in an attempt to 'cure' them of being LGBT, and a further 5% had been offered it. These stark figures represent tens-of-thousands of LGBTQ+ people whose lives have been affected by these abusive practices.  

- In January 2024, The Scottish Government introduced a consultation on draft legislation to end conversion practices as a direct response to UK Government’s failure to introduce a legislative ban.  

- You can find stories from victims and survivors of conversion practices here.  

- You can find out more about the Ban Conversion Therapy campaign here.