Former Director of Public Prosecutions warns that ‘conversion practices’ Bill could criminalise parents

A former chief prosecutor has warned that parents could unknowingly face jail time for talking with their children under plans to ban ‘conversion practices’.

Lord Macdonald of River Glaven KC, a cross-bench Peer who was previously the Director of Public Prosecutions, told The Daily Telegraph that the Government’s Draft Conversion Practices Bill’s concepts of “psychological or emotional pressure” would make it “very difficult” for parents to know if they broke the law during a sensitive conversation.

Under the proposals for England and Wales, a person could face up to five years in prison for applying “emotional pressure” that causes a person to believe they do or do not have a particular “transgender identity” or “sexual orientation”.

‘Trojan Horse’

Lord Macdonald warned that the Bill could lead to “criminalising parents or clinicians on the grounds of psychological or emotional pressure who may be no more than having necessary and frank conversations with their children or their patients”.

He noted a “serious problem”, since the Government minister in the House of Lords could not explain what it is that is “presently lawful” that the Bill is aiming to make unlawful.

The Peer warned that it is being used as a “Trojan Horse” by the same activists who “wanted to argue in favour of self ID and the rights of trans women – biological males – to use women’s space and so on.

“I think the lobby that lost those arguments is now using this as a way to try to achieve some of what they wanted to achieve by the back door. It’s the same battle just in a different guise.”

Stonewall

According to The Telegraph, Stonewall has been granted extraordinary access to Government over its ‘conversion practices’ legislation.

In June, when the Bill was published, the controversial pro-trans charity celebrated its “central role” in pushing for a ban and pledged to continue to work hard to ensure that it is “robust”, “effective” and without “loopholes”.

Sex Matters Chief Executive Maya Forstater commented: “The draft Conversion Practices Bill is a trans activist’s dream.”

“Stonewall’s access to No 10 and Government departments specifically to discuss conversion practices speaks volumes about whose viewpoints are reflected, and whose concerns are going unheard.”