Poll indicates public support for conversion therapy ban wanes with specific scenarios

A recent survey of 4,201 British adults conducted by Whitestone for The Christian Institute suggests that public support for a proposed ban on conversion therapy decreases significantly when specific legal implications are presented. While 51 percent of respondents initially supported a ban, that figure dropped to three percent after participants were asked to consider 15 scenarios involving potential criminalization of private prayer, pastoral counseling, and parental guidance.

Among Labour voters, initial support for the legislation fell from 57 percent to four percent when faced with these scenarios. However, the data showed varying levels of concern, with 40 percent of Labour voters indicating they would not object to the potential penalization of a minister advising a man against leaving his marriage for a same-sex partner.

Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of The Christian Institute, argued that the findings demonstrate a lack of public awareness regarding the potential scope of the proposed law. He urged government ministers to provide greater clarity on how such legislation might impact private conversations and religious practices before moving forward with new criminal offenses.