Exclusive: Equalities minister says Tories are ‘chasing Reform into the gutter’ as they drop support for planned law to ban ‘conversion therapy’

Kemi Badenoch has “no interest in supporting LGBT+ people” or promoting tolerance more widely, a government minister has said, after the Conservatives dropped support for a planned law to ban so-called “conversion therapy”.

The comments by Bridget Phillipson, the equalities minister, come after the Tories removed their previous backing for a law targeting abusive practices that aim to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.