Government vows to protect churches from ban on conversion practices

Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch has promised that the government’s proposed ban on ‘conversion practices’ will not criminalise the ordinary work of churches and parenting.

In a letter to MPs, the minister restated the government’s commitment to pre-legislative scrutiny in this parliamentary session.

She said the government would help make sure church leaders, teachers, and parents ‘continue to be able to have exploratory conversations with people about their sexual orientation, sex or gender identity’. And she was clear that ‘the freedom to express the teachings of any religion, as well as everyday religious practice, will not be affected by the ban’.

However, the government’s understanding of the ‘ordinary work of churches’ and ‘everyday religious practices’ may be quite different from reality.

Religious freedom campaign group Let Us Pray will continue to keep the pressure on, saying they are ready to go to court if necessary.