PM urged: grant our Christmas wish and ban harmful conversion practices for a ‘Happy New Year’
Today, the Ban Conversion Practices Coalition have presented an open letter to the Prime Minister, urging him to finally make good on his promise and publish a draft Bill to ban conversion practices for LGBTQ+ communities as soon as possible.
Conversion practices include any medical, psychiatric, psychological, religious, cultural or any other interventions that seek to change, ‘cure’, or suppress the sexual orientation and/or gender identity of a person. Learn more about conversion practices here.
We’ve heard time and again that a draft Bill is on the way. Now, we’re calling for action again.
As a coalition, we’ve written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and delivered our letter straight to Number 10, urging him to grant our Christmas wish: make 2026 the year this Government finally bans conversion practices. It’s time for the Government to give the LGBTQ+ community the gift of safety and acceptance by publishing a draft Bill to end conversion practices for good.
Chair of the Ban Conversion Practices Coalition, Saba Ali, was joined by Stonewall CEO, Simon Blake OBE, and conversion practices survivor Dr Glenn Miles to deliver our letter in person.
In the letter, which was delivered to 10 Downing Street at midday, we say:
Dear Prime Minister,
The festive period is a time for celebration, community, and acceptance. Yet for many members of the LGBTQ+ community, this time of year, as families come together and religious services take place, can be a painful reminder that they are still not fully accepted. Across the UK, too many in the LGBTQ+ community are still being told they need to be ‘cured’ or ‘fixed’ because harmful conversion practices remain legal.
This is the eighth Christmas that LGBTQ+ people will face since the UK Government committed to a conversion practices ban, with that promise not having been met. The eighth Christmas since successive Prime Ministers have personally committed to end these practices. Research from The Trevor Project shows that nearly one in six (16%) LGBTQ+ young people in the UK have been threatened with or subjected to conversion practices. That means thousands of young people are growing up being told there is something wrong with who they are, starting each new year feeling unsafe and unwelcome.
As the year draws to a close, we’re reminded of the progress we’ve seen around the world, with more countries stepping up and taking action in 2025. New South Wales and South Australia both passed bans, the Dutch parliament voted to criminalise conversion practices in September and most recently, Gibraltar passed legislation as well. It is time the UK followed suit.
We’ve heard time and time again that legislation is coming and your Government has repeatedly committed to publishing a draft Bill before the end of the current Parliamentary session. At a time when many are questioning the Government’s commitment to LGBTQ+ rights, this would be a key step towards rebuilding trust. Through this meaningful action, the Government can show that every person deserves to live freely and safely as themselves.
Our Christmas wish is this: make 2026 the year that harmful conversion practices are finally made illegal. We’re calling on you to publish the draft Bill to ban conversion practices before the end of this Parliamentary session, like you promised.
Another year of inaction is another year of preventable harm and suffering. You have the power to end the abuse one in six young LGBTQ+ people are being threatened with or subject to. Please give the LGBTQ+ community the gift of safety and acceptance by delivering on your manifesto commitment to ban conversion practices. We look forward to your confirmation that the Bill will be published in this parliamentary session.
Saba Ali, Chair of the Ban Conversion Practices Coalition, said:
“Conversion practices may change shape, but the lie behind them persists, the notion that LGBTQ+ people need fixing. That belief wounds, diminishes, and destroys individuals.
“After seven years of promises and postponed protections, it’s clear that government hesitation is not neutral; it is dangerous. Every day without a ban is a day where harm is quietly permitted. We need a decisive, inclusive law that ends this abuse once and for all, a law that makes unmistakably clear that our identities were never errors, and our lives never needed correcting.
“The moment for action has long since passed; the Government must act now and ban these abhorrent practices.”
Layton Williams added:
“As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, I was shook to hear this kind of practice is still happening in 21st century Britain! I'm lending my voice to the campaign to say enough is enough... Let's ban conversion practices in 2026 - Period!”
Dr Glenn Miles was himself subjected to damaging conversion practices. Joining the delegation delivering the Christmas wish letter, he said:
“Although I am in a better place now, the impact of conversion practices stays with me. It has taken years of counselling and support for me to understand that there is nothing wrong with who I am.
Even now after processing this, in my worst moments I worry I am making up my sexuality, I have been indoctrinated for so long it is hard to not be disposed to these ideas sometimes.”
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Through this ban, the Government can offer hope. They can stand with LGBTQ+ people and show that every person deserves to live freely and safely as themselves.
We hope this letter gives them the push to finally publish the draft Bill and make 2026 the year these harmful practices are finally made illegal.
We must not give up. Together we will keep showing the Government that they must make good on their promise to ban conversion practices