Good morning. It is well known that Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser, became an arch enemy, calling Johnson a “trolley” because he could not move in one direction for long periods of time. What is lesser known is that the insult came from Johnson himself, who, while trying to make up his mind about Brexit, said he was “walking around like a shopping trolley”. This is one of his more perceptive self-observations, and last night we saw a classic example, any trolley worthy of the Olympics.
On the eve of the last election, Boris Johnson agreed that a conservative government would ban conversion practices, including those trying to change one’s sexuality or identity, mostly in certain religious settings. The government has since consulted on the ban, but campaigners and some news organizations have flagged claims that the ban may criminalize physicians and physicians inadvertently helping people – especially adolescents – with gender dysphoria. To deal with.
Last night ITV’s Paul Brand revealed that the government had dropped plans to ban. He published a quote from a leaked document saying that Boris Johnson had agreed to postpone the legislation. The document focused on options for how the U-turn might be announced, and stated that a choice could be made public at the time of the Queen’s speech and claimed “the need to rationalize our legislative programme.” There was an urgent need” because the cost of Ukraine war and life crisis. (ITV has not published the full document, but their report suggests that this is not the actual reason for the decision to drop the bill.)
The report triggered a huge backlash among all concerned with LGBTQ+ rights, for whom the ban on conversion practices was historic law and a test of the government’s overall credibility with the community. Within hours the trolley was heading in the other direction again, and Brand said they were told by a senior government source that there was a partial U-turn.
Paul Brand
(@PaulBrandITV)U-turn on U-turn
After the reaction to our report the Prime Minister has changed his mind and he will now ban conversion therapy.
A senior government source has fully assured me that it will be in the Queen’s speech.
But only gay conversion therapy, not trans.
Paul Brand
(@PaulBrandITV)I am told that the prime minister was moved on the strength of the reaction of Conservative MPs and ministers when he broke the story.
But he has taken trans conversion therapy out of the equation and insists that neither bill should have “unintended consequences”.
there are more details ITV update Here is our story.
This morning it is being widely reported as a U-turn and Tory lawmakers who were particularly angry with the original story last night have quelled their anger. But there are no details about what will happen in the bill, and leading campaigners are outraged that trans conversion practices are being left out of the law.
these are from stone wallLGBTQ+ rights group.
stone wall
(@stonewalluk)Read latest updates. Keep the pressure up. https://t.co/ES4NEtSLSj
stone wall
(@stonewalluk)The UK government’s national LGBT survey found that trans respondents were more likely to have had conversion therapy (13%) than cis respondents (7%).
Email your MP for a ban that leaves no one behind https://t.co/U3SeCFBYJP#BanConversionTherapy
And this is the veteran campaigner Peter Tachel.
Peter Tachel
(@Peter Tachel)The ban on conversion therapy that is not trans-inclusive is not a real ban at all. It is shameful to exclude trans people from protection from abusive, harmful conversions. Trans people will be at risk of exorcism, beatings, emotional blackmail and psychological brow-beating. pic.twitter.com/ywZLnPyDel
According to the diary, it is a relatively calm day. Commons is not sitting.
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