Health Secretary says Tories would make gender identity a reserved issue

THE UK Health Secretary has said the Conservative Party would seek to weaken the devolution settlement by making gender recognition a reserved matter across the whole of the UK.

Speaking at press conference on Tuesday morning, Victoria Atkins said the Tories would not allow the SNP to “cause confusion” by passing gender reform legislation despite health being a devolved issue.

“We are insisting that someone can only have one sex throughout the United Kingdom,” she said.

“It is not enough for some of us to be protected. We should feel safe no matter where we live, or where we were born.

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“We will not allow Labour or the SNP to cause confusion across the UK with ill thought through policies on gender.”

It comes after the UK Government blocked the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which was passed by a cross-party majority in Holyrood.

Atkins also cast doubt on the Scottish Government’s proposals to ban conversion therapy, taking aim at the Labour Party’s promise to do so if they form the next government.

In 2018, then prime minister Theresa May promised to ban conversion therapy, which refers to practices that seek to repress or change a person's sexuality or gender identity.

However, the proposed ban eventually came to exclude transgender people before being dropped by the UK Government entirely.

Theresa May's pledge to ban conversion therapy was dropped by the Tories

Meanwhile, Keir Starmer said a Labour government would legislate for a trans-inclusive ban.

Despite describing conversion therapy as “dreadful,” Atkins cast doubt on whether banning it was “necessary”.

“Today it has seeped out that Labour not only wants to introduce self ID by stealth, but also wants to stop parents, teachers and therapists from comforting and counselling children and adults who are in gender distress,” she said.

“We all agree that so-called conversion therapy in the context of sexuality is dreadful and must be stopped.

“However, we need a thoughtful conversation about whether additional legislation is necessary and possible, without criminalising those who are doing their best to support people with gender distress.

“This is ripe territory for the law of unintended consequences, which is something you’d think the Labour leader would understand, but clearly does not.”

The Scottish Government’s consultation on banning conversion practices closed back in April, with an official response expected before the summer recess.