RISHI Sunak is set to roll back on plans for a ban on LGBT+ conversion therapy, according to reports.
The Sun reports that the Prime Minister will no longer include legislation to ban the practice in the King’s Speech – which will set out the laws for the next year – next month.
It was previously reported by The Times that Sunak’s chief whip Simon Hart had warned him the Government could face a rebellion if it failed to introduce the bill.
However, it’s now been reported that more than 40 Tory MPs have signed a letter demanding Sunak does not include the draft legislation in the King’s Speech.
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Instead, The Sun reports he will publish a draft bill which he will consult MPs on.
This will run down the clock so the bill will not become law before the next General Election.
One senior government source told the newspaper: “There is no way conversion therapy is becoming law before the election.”
Another insider added: “It is not in the King’s Speech. No one is running at this.”
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) had previously written to women and equalities minister Kemi Badenoch (below), insisting legislation to ban conversion therapy “is needed”.
Meanwhile, one Tory MP told the newspaper that “under no circumstances” would they vote for a conversion therapy ban.
“Rishi will face a massive revolt if he tries to push this through," they said.
It follows intense lobbying by Tory MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge Miriam Cates, according to ITV’s Paul Brand.
On Twitter/X, he shared screenshots of WhatsApp messages the MP had reportedly sent to her colleagues this week urging them to voice their opposition to the bill.
The MP wrote: “This bill will anger our base, split the party, and effectively put a Stonewall charter into law.
“We have a matter of days to persuade No 10 to pull it.”
Responding to the reports, the SNP’s women and equalities spokesperson Kirsten Oswald (below) told The National: “Conversion practices have no place in our society and we owe it to all those who have already suffered to take the necessary action to ensure nobody has to endure this terrible experience.
“Westminster has spent years promising to ban conversion practices – all while listening to the very brave testimonies of those who have endured this awful practice, so for them to even speculate on not going forward with their plans is shameful.
“The Westminster government must include a commitment to end conversion practices in the King’s Speech – a failure to do so would be a complete betrayal of all those who have waited years for action.”
Downing Street told The Sun that they do not comment on what is in the King’s Speech.
When The National approached the UK Government for further comment, a spokesperson said: "No one in this country should be harmed or harassed for who they are and attempts at so called 'conversion therapy' are abhorrent.
"That is why we are carefully considering this very complex issue."
The speech is currently scheduled to take place on November 7.
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