King Charles Moves Forward With Conversion Therapy Ban for England and Wales

King Charles has committed to banning conversion therapy across England and Wales through new legislation.

The 77-year-old monarch revealed the pledge during a speech on Wednesday, May 13. "My Government will bring forward a Bill to speed up remediation for people living in homes with unsafe cladding [Remediation Bill] and a draft Bill to ban abusive conversion practices [Draft Conversion Practices Bill]," he stated.

The King's Speech, which outlines the government's legislative priorities, was prepared by the government itself. An accompanying statement emphasized the severity of the issue: "Conversion practices are abuse, and the government will deliver the manifesto commitment to bring forward a trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices."

The proposed legislation will be specifically designed to target harmful practices while protecting legitimate healthcare services for individuals exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity. The ban applies to England and Wales, as criminal law operates independently across other UK nations. Before advancing further, the draft bill will undergo pre-legislative scrutiny to gather input from experts and stakeholders.

However, this marks a recurring promise rather than a first-time commitment. In 2018, then-Prime Minister Theresa May's administration announced intentions to end conversion therapy practices throughout the U.K. Boris Johnson's government later pledged support for a ban in 2022, though that version excluded gender identity protections. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour Party also campaigned on a conversion therapy ban during its 2024 manifesto.

Stonewall, a prominent LGBTQ rights organization, responded to the King's Speech with cautious skepticism. "The Government has once again committed to #BanConversionPractices in the King's Speech. While this is welcome, this is now the fourth time a King's Speech has included the commitment, the second under this government. We need an end to the empty promises. It's time for decisive action. That's why we're calling on the government to publish their draft legislation before Parliament breaks for summer recess. Conversion practices continue to cause profound harm to LGBTQ+ people, there is no place for this abuse in the UK. This legislation has already been delayed for far too long."

The organization further noted that Prime Minister Starmer reaffirmed the government's commitment to the ban during his address to the House of Commons. "We've heard from four Prime Ministers that they will ban these harmful practices, and we hope this will be the one that delivers. We're calling on the Government to publish its draft Bill by summer recess, and the clock is ticking," Stonewall added.