Scot gov drops conversion practice bill

[Hoardasurass]

So it seems that someone with a modicum of sense has got the snp to understand that their version of a conversion therapy bill was going to go the way of the named person bill (ie fail a judicial review because it interfered with parental rights) and threatening parents with 7 years in jail for saying no to a child is really not a vote winner so they've only gone and ditched it in favour of the new Westminster one (that's still to be written).

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/04/scotland-drops-controversial-plan-outlaw-conversion-therapy/

Well there's a shocker... Not.

Imagine thinking this was ever a good idea.

How many failed bills is that, is anyone keeping count?

@Thelnebriati 7 off the top of my head, so roughly 1 every 2 years that they've been in power however most of those 7 were under Stergeon.

Well the time spent on that was another good use of taxpayers' money in a cost of living crisis.

Thank fuck. Eyes on England and Wales, now?

They've 'paused ' it to work on.a UK wide version with Labour.

https://www.thenational.scot/news/national/24563621.scottish-conversion-therapy-ban-paused-favour-uk-wide-approach/

Will they wait for WM to make a.law and then make a lot of ostentatious fuss railing against it, I wonder.

I wouldn't put it past them but as they've agreed to letting Westminster take the lead they've effectively ditched it until after the next election which hopefully means it's a dead duck

Of course. So they can deflect and squirrel their way out of the rest of the mess they are making politically.

After all the fanfare and bluster someone finally sat down with Microsoft Word then realised it's an impossible Bill to write in a way that makes coherent sense and isn't a mass of contradictions.

So they've decided to pass the buck to Westminster, who eventually will also attempt to write one, will discover the same thing, then will abandon it themselves. At this point Scotsgov can place the blame elsewhere.

Wings Over Scotland have a piece on this, it seems the Green's are kicking up about what they see as a 'betrayal', it might even bring the Scottish Government down?

Wings Over Scotland | The Sooner Future

(I'm not sure why that picture has come up)

The current administration needs dismantled. It's failing at every turn and the country is suffering for it.

The battle over the Conversion bill inside Labour is going to be one to watch now. That is why Labour Women's Declaration position inside the party is so important and we need to watch the Labour conference carefully. Remember LWD now have a stall and an event inside the conference venue for the first time. They have supporters in cabinet as ministers. The Fight is on.

LWD already outlined their approach to any bill and showing its weaknesses :

Labour MP briefing – Conversion Practices ban

https://labourwomensdeclaration.org.uk/mp-briefing-conversion-practices-ban/

They are already addressing all Labour MPs before the drafting of the new bill begins. If it happens, because the ground is changing because of Cass.

The fight inside the medical profession and the BMA is key here. Many Doctors know gender ideology is RUBBISH. They don't want to be responsible for medicalising kids or even adults.

So that battle will spill over into the conversion therapy bill debate. Most Doctors will want to be able to tell people to get good therapy.

It's not just the internal argument within Labour.

The mens gay network are keeping a very close legal eye on it and whether it would put gay children at risk and how it would impact of counsellors and HCP.

They felt the previous governments draft was potentially a problem and are prepared to go to court if whatever comes to past looks problematic.

Keep an eye on Dennis Noel Kavanagh on twitter.

Statement from Out for Indy claims work continues in tandem with UK government, but they are trying to keep it out if the public eye, to paraphrase.

Image is tiny, I'll get the link too.

Doing this 'to avoid judicial review' and remove heat.

https://x.com/OutForIndy/status/1832052533881188846

Either the SNP are lying to OFI and stringing them along - seems highly likely - or they are spending parliamentary time working on Bills that they claim to not be working on.