SNP pushes for outright ban on all conversion practices in Scotland
The Scottish National Party adopted a motion calling for a total prohibition of conversion therapies targeting LGBTQ+ people at its Aberdeen conference.
At the SNP conference in Aberdeen, delegates approved a motion demanding a full ban on conversion practices directed at LGBTQ+ individuals. The proposal highlighted concerns that the draft Westminster bill contains exemptions for procedures resembling medical or surgical care, which could impede enforcement against abusive NHS or private providers. It argued that consent to such practices is often coerced by misinformation and stigma, leading to lasting trauma.
The motion was backed by SNP MP Kirsty Blackman and the party’s internal group Out for Independence. It called on the Scottish Government to draft legislation within the first year of the new parliament if the UK Parliament does not deliver an adequate law by the end of the year. The resolution stresses that any ban must cover medical, religious and other settings and apply to all LGBTQIA+ identities, including trans and non-binary people.
