MP ‘proud’ to back conversion therapy ban

Marie Tidball, Member of Parliament for Penistone and Stocksbridge, has backed draft legislation to block conversion therapy practices against LGBTQ+ people. The practices set to be banned include people being subjected to sexual, economic, physical, and psychological abuse.

The Labour Party manifesto included a commitment to deliver a trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices. The Bill includes safeguards so that only the acts that are abusive, seeking to change someone’s identity, and create real harm to the person, will be in scope.

Healthcare professionals, therapists, and counsellors also have protections to ensure that they can continue their important work.

The draft legislation includes new Conversion Practice Protection Orders to protect victims and those at risk of abuse. These have been designed in a similar way to orders on forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

Someone found guilty of conducting abusive conversion practices could face an unlimited fine, a custodial sentence of up to 5 years or both.

Marie Tidball, Member of Parliament for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said:

"These conversion practices are abuse. These abhorrent practices are still happening today, with people being subjected to abuse to “cure” them, when there is nothing to cure.

"Our existing legislation leaves gaps that can be exploited, and a lack of a legal definition of conversion practices makes it difficult for police to take action. The only way to ban these practices for good is through this new law introduced today, which creates a new criminal offence against anyone carrying out abusive conversion practices that cause serious harm, alarm or distress to the victim.

"This is a major step forward, particularly as this ban is trans-inclusive, to ensure that every person in our communities is treated with dignity and respect."

Photograph: Marie Tidball MP at the 2026 Stonewall Change-maker Awards (Photo credit: Stonewall)