Meeting of the Parliament 04 June 2026 [Draft]
This week marks the start of pride month. Pride is not just a celebration of our LGBTQ community; it is a protest. It is clear why protest is still needed. A decade ago, the United Kingdom consistently came top of the list for LGBTQ rights in Europe, yet we have fallen to 22nd place today. That is primarily the result of the vicious wave of transphobia that has been unleashed in recent years, but the attacks on our whole community are escalating.
One of the many shameful stains on the UK’s record is its failure to ban the form of torture known as conversion therapy. The First Minister promised a ban on so-called conversion therapy in Scotland within a year of the election if the UK Government failed to introduce a bill. As things stand, Labour has repeatedly promised to introduce a bill but has failed to do so. During this pride month, will the First Minister take the opportunity to confirm that he will fulfil his promise to LGBTQ Scots? Will his programme for government include a ban on so-called conversion therapy?