City stalwart quits as PM’s LGBT+ business champion over conversion therapy row
City stalwart and Cicero/amo chair Iain Anderson has quit as Boris Johnson’s LGBT+ business champion over the government’s position on conversion therapy.
The communications executive, who was appointed to the unapid role in 2021, announced today that the government’s decision not to ban trans conversion therapy was the catalyst for his resignation and was “deeply damaging to my work”.
Anderson said the leaked news last week that Boris Johnson had decided not to ban gay conversion therapy was “devastating”.
The government soon U-turned on the decision in the face of public backlash, but briefed to the media that trans conversion therapy would not be banned as a part of the legislation.
The saga has led to widespread criticism of the government’s handling of LGBT issues and a corporate boycott of the Safe To Be Me: A Global Equality Conference, which is due to take place in June and July.
In a letter to Johnson, Anderson said: “As a young gay man I lived through fear and oppression under the backdrop of Section 28. I could never have dreamt a government – any government – would appoint an LGBT+ champion later in my lifetime.
“However, the recent leaking of a plan to drop the government’s flagship legislation protecting LGBT+ people from conversion therapy was devastating. Conversion therapy is abhorrent.
“Only hours later to see this plan retracted, but briefing take place that trans people would be excluded from the legislation and therefore not have the same immediate protections from this practice was deeply damaging to my work.”
Anderson’s role as a business adviser saw him consult with Number 10 and Whitehall on how to support LGBT+ people at work and how to cut down on workplace discrimination.
This included creating a LGBT+ Business Forum while in the role.
Anderson has worked as a City communications exeucutive for nearly three decades and is executive chairman at Cicero/amo.