During her Pride Month debate speech on 15th June, Bath MP Wera Hobhouse called on the government to finally live up to their five year old promise to ban conversion therapy. She finished her speech by reminding the House that we cannot be complacent in the protection of LGBT+ rights and that “the government must match their words with concrete action”.

Mrs Hobhouse also called on the government to reverse the trend of the UK falling down the rankings of LGBT+ rights globally. In 2015, the UK was ranked number one for LGBT+ rights by the European Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. The country is now ranked number seventeen.

The government must show leadership in this area, Hobhouse said. She also added that the government should not bow down in the face of those supportive of conversion therapy. Mrs Hobhouse reminded Ministers that the government had promised to ban conversion therapy five years ago and had not yet followed through.

Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, commented:

“Pride Month is a time to celebrate progress and diversity but it should also serve as a reminder of how much more needs to be done.

“The government needs to show leadership and live up to their promises. Banning conversion therapy is an obvious step forward we need to take and one that Ministers need to stop delaying on.

“Rights have been won, but they can be lost just as easily. Now is not the time to be complacent. Stigma and discrimination have no place in modern Britain. The government must now step up and match their words with action.”