Boris Johnson vows to ban 'absolutely abhorrent' gay 'conversion therapy'

It is two years since former PM Theresa May's government promised to bring forward plans to end the practice in the UK.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacts during his visit to The Discovery School in Kings Hill, south east England on July 20, 2020. (Photo by JEREMY SELWYN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by JEREMY SELWYN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Image: Boris Johnson made the vow on a visit to a Kent school
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Boris Johnson has vowed to ban "absolutely abhorrent" practices aimed at changing someone's sexual orientation.

The prime minister promised the government would conduct a study into so-called "gay conversion" therapies before bringing forward plans to prohibit it.

It is two years since the government, then led by former prime minister Theresa May, promised to bring forward proposals - as part of its LGBT action plan - to end the practice of conversion therapy in the UK.

Elton John, Dua Lipa and Jade Thirlwall among stars to call for end to 'conversion therapy'
Elton John, Dua Lipa and Jade Thirlwall among stars to call for end to 'conversion therapy'

That action plan built on the results of a national LGBT survey of more than 108,000 people, which found 2% of respondents had undergone conversion or reparative therapy in an attempt to "cure" them, and a further 5% had been offered it.

Speaking on a visit to a Kent school on Monday, Mr Johnson described gay conversion therapy as "absolutely abhorrent" and said it "has no place in a civilised society, has no place in this country".

"What we are going to do is a study right now on, you know, where is this actually happening, how prevalent is it, and we will then bring forward plans to ban it," he added.

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The prime minister also reiterated the government would publish its response to a public consultation on the Gender Recognition Act over the summer.

It was reported last month that, as part of the government's response, Mr Johnson was set to ditch plans developed under Mrs May's government to allow transgender people to change their birth certificates without a medical diagnosis.