Rishi Sunak’s decision not to include a ban on conversion therapy in tomorrow’s King’s Speech has sparked yet more open warfare within the Conservative Party.
Tory MPs began firing potshots at their own colleagues on social media today, including accusations pro-Trans Tory MPs are trying to “reinforce bigotry”.
After some confusion about whether a conversion therapy ban would appear in tomorrow’s list of forthcoming Government bills, ITV finally confirmed the Government will not be pressing ahead with it.
Journalist Paul Brand reported the Government “thinks the shape of a ban isn’t ready yet”, and it’s now “very unlikely it’ll be banned before the next election”.
This morning he claimed centrist Tory MPs who had been pushing for the ban “now concede that they have lost the internal battle”.
Shortly after, Tory MP Alicia Kearns – who also chairs the Foreign Affairs Select Committee – tweeted to say some MPs actively “believe in Conversion Therapy and don’t accept it’s inherently abusive”.
She demanded such MPs admit to their views and “say it”.
She said: “Own that you believe LGBT people can be ‘converted’. The very least you can do is be honest with those you’re imprisoning in a cycle of imposed shame and self-hate as you reinforce bigotry.”
Ms Kearns added that some MPs are “constructing narratives to cover for the reality that they believe conversion therapy is a legitimate practice”.
Tory backbencher Mark Jenkinson has now publicly criticised his MP colleague, claiming that those who want to ban trans conversion therapy want to try “imprisoning others in a cycle of imposed shame and self-hate”.
Mr Jenkinson added such a practice would “reinforce bigotry, and convince young gay men and women that they’re just ‘born in the wrong body’”.
A Tory MP who recently signed a letter to the Prime Minister demanding no such bill appear in the King’s Speech told the Express they were “very pleased” plans had been scrapped.
They said: “I’m very pleased that it appears the Conversion therapy ban won’t be in the King’s speech.
“Many of us were very concerned about many of the unintended consequences, and the risk that parents and teachers could end up being criminalised for questioning a child’s decision to change gender.
“It was always a mistake to extend the proposed Bill to cover gender identity.”
However Dehenna Davison, a former minister, publicly said it was “shameful” that five years after promising a ban “it now looks set to be kicked into the long grass”.
She said: “How anyone can justify supporting such practices is beyond me.”
