New ‘conversion practices’ bill risks policing conversations
by Carys Moseley, Christian Concern:
This Friday, 1 March, a new private member’s bill on banning conversion practices is due for its second reading in the House of Commons.
Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Labour MP for Brighton, has tabled the bill. Once again, this bill intends to criminalise certain types of consensual conversations.
Sneaky new tactic: Pre-publication of multiple successive bill drafts
Lloyd Russell-Moyle has introduced a sneaky new tactic into the political war over conversion therapy/practices. He has published several drafts of the bill in succession on his own website before publishing the official final version on the House of Commons website. His website has a feedback form for the public to contact him about the bill.
Version 4 of the bill was published on Monday 12 February. Version 7 was published on 23 February and is the final version, available also on the House of Commons bill page. The tactic has made it more difficult for opponents of a ban to produce legal advice and bill briefings in time for MPs.
The bill’s definition of conversion practices
Section 4 of the bill provides a definition of conversion practices:
“‘conversion practice’ means a course of conduct or activity, the predetermined purpose and intent of which is to change someone’s sexual orientation or to change a person to or from being transgender, including to suppress a sexual orientation or transgender identity so that the orientation or identity no longer exists in full or in part.”
The Explanatory Notes say that ‘conversion practices’ have to be ‘a planned activity and cannot include one off or ad hoc actions by a person. Whilst this appears to be a concession to critics, it of course still means that the police would be able to be involved in determining what counts as a one off or ad hoc action.
The same warning applies to the Notes’ interpretation of “the predetermined purpose and intent”. They say that this refers not to ‘an immediate intent’ but rather ‘a predetermined outcome must have been intended before the course of conduct of activity started.’ This means that courses and events, as opposed to pastoral responses to initial conversations by church members, are captured.
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