Tory failure to deliver on five-year-old vow to ban conversion therapy 'immoral'
The Tories' failure to deliver on a five-year-old promise to outlaw discredited and harmful conversion practices has been condemned as "immoral and unethical".
Jayne Ozanne - an ex-government LGBT adviser - told The Mirror she was "disgusted" at the delay and urged Rishi Sunak to finally publish the legislation and apologise.
Monday marks the fifth anniversary of Theresa May first pledging to ban the practice which seeks to suppress a person's sexuality or gender identity.
At the time the former PM described it as "abhorrent" - but the proposed ban has been the victim of U-turns and repeated delays during years of Tory chaos and in-fighting.
Reports in recent weeks have suggested a draft bill aiming to ban conversion therapies is currently awaiting final sign-off from Mr Sunak before it can proceed.
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Ms Ozanne told The Mirror: "It's an absolute disgrace it's taken longer than any other country that I'm aware of to even get draft legislation published.
Monday marks the fifth anniversary of Theresa May first pledging to ban the practice (PA)"We've been told consistently now for years that they are working at pace and we will see something very shortly. I think the question is who do they think they are fooling?"
She added: "I'd like him [Mr Sunak] to apologise and explain the delay and get on with it.
"For the Prime Minister to just sit on this while we know people's lives are being impacted I think is immoral, unethical and needs to be called out."
The LGBT+ charity Stonewall will on Monday urge its supporters and members of the public to write to their local MPs demanding action on the promise.
Chief Executive Nancy Kelley said: "When I think about the fact that it's been five years since the Government promised to end this abuse of LGBT+ people... it breaks my heart."
She said: "Right now there is a full draft bill. There is absolutely no reason for the Government not to be bringing that bill forward and getting on with ending the abuse."
Her organisation Stonewall lists 14 countries with some form of a national ban already in place, including Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Malta, and Germany.
She added: "With the political will there is no reason not to end the suffering of LGBT+ people who are exposed to these practices before the next election. "A Government that fails to do that is a Government that is really failing to take its responsibility to LGBT+ citizens seriously."
Former Government LGBT+ adviser Jayne Ozanne (AFP via Getty Images)Elliot Colbun, a Tory MP and co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on LGBT rights, added: "Let's get this done, let's get this sorted".
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He warned: "With every delay and every day that passes there are people who are being left without a recourse to justice with this ban not in place."
Advocates of a ban have also expressed major concerns that the Bill could include a "consent" loophole clause with adults continuing to undergo the practice.
Ms Ozanne - herself a victim of so-called conversion therapy - said: "I consented. I thought I was doing the right thing. It nearly killed me.
"The vast majority of people I know and have come into contact with also consented because they believe - that's the whole thing about this - they live in a world where everyone around them believes they are doing the right thing."
She added: "Allowing a consent clause would make this legislation completely meaningless and ineffective. Whatsmore, it would show that the government are pampering to the religious right who want to 'pray the gay' away."
An Equality Hub spokesperson said: "This Government is committed to protecting people at risk from conversion practices. As part of this we will publish a draft Bill setting out our approach, which will be scrutinised by a Joint Committee of both Houses in this parliamentary session.
"This will allow for in-depth analysis and challenge to test the policy and drafting and ensure we address any risk of unintended impacts."
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