Will bring plans to ban gay conversion therapy: UK PM Johnson

London: Boris Johnson has told the BBC, that gay conversion therapy is "abhorrent" and pledged again to ban it–but only after a study of its prevalence.

The widely discredited practice sees vulnerable people subjected to shock treatments and other cruel tortures. It consistently promises and fails, to "cure" people of being gay, trans and other identities on the sexuality and gender spectrum.

The U.K. Prime Minister was speaking to the BBC at a school visit in Kent where he announced extra funding for schools in England.

"Gay conversion therapy is absolutely abhorrent, and it has no place in a civilised society and has no place in this country," Johnson said.

Adding that they are pursuing a study on its prevalence first, before bringing forward plans to ban it.

He also spoke about the upcoming reforms about the Gender Recognition Act. Adding that "we said we were going to bring forward plans this summer, and that's what we're going to do."

This reform would have removed an arduous and medicalised route to transition.

The Prime Minister's pledge today though is not new. Indeed, two years ago, the U.K. government, under Theresa May’s leadership, made the same pledge to ban the cruel torture.

Though welcomed by the Ban Conversion Therapy campaign, they are now "awaiting action, adding on Twitter:

"Also important to note that @BorisJohnson specifically called out "gay" conversion therapy. We still stand with our trans family and demand that a ban includes protection for them too."

It's this move that caught the U.K. Parliament Twitter account in a storm when it was forced to retract a tweet asking people for their thoughts on how Conversion Therapy affects the LGBTQ+ community.

In a rapturous response, the community shared the pain, anguish and turmoil the practice causes.

Just four hours later, the tweet was removed, and an apology issued.

For the time being the emotional and physical abuse, which falsely promises to change the sexual orientations or gender identities of people, remains legal.

Meanwhile, Johnson's pledge has the caveat of a Government study into the practice before it will bring forward moves to ban it.

The Conservatives pledged to ban the torture two years ago

The comments today follow a move from social media giant Instagram banning all content about the torture worldwide last week.

That news came on the day, LGBT organizations including Stonewall, public figures, MPs, religious figures and huge stars from Little Mix’s Jade Thrilwall to Elton John had written to the Equalities minister urging her to take action on her own party’s promise.

So Boris Johnson’s comments today–serve as a reminder to the LGBT community the Conservatives have not yet fulfilled their 2018 manifesto pledge.

One the Equalities Minister Liz Truss reiterated that plans were in the making on June 5 in a statement to parliament.

But she also suggested their LGBT Action Plan, was being amended before being brought forward, which could lead to more dropped manifesto pledges.

Professional bodies, the NHS, the Human Rights Campaign and even top UN Experts oppose the torture on ethical, moral and logical grounds.

Conversion therapy is only illegal in five countries around the world, and some states in the U.S.

Germany is the most recent country to ban gay conversion therapy for minors. However, it will still allow for consenting adults to opt into the so-called “treatment.”

The Trevor Project is the world’s most substantial suicide prevention and crisis intervention organisation for LGBT+ youth. Their peer-reviewed study released last week of young LGBT+ people shows that those subjected to the therapy are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide.

A large majority in the EU parliament called on all member states to ban conversion therapy in March 2018.

However, so far, Malta is the only country to have brought in an outright ban. Cyprus, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Switzerland have partial bans.

Comparatively in the U.S., it is banned in 18 states.