Darlington's MP has called for the end of the "pure abuse" of LGBT conversion therapy in a speech in Parliament. 

Peter Gibson MP spoke in a debate yesterday (Friday, March 1) about a Bill which would make so-called conversion therapy illegal.

Conversion therapy is offered to LGBT people in order to ‘cure’ them.

Peter has long campaigned against conversion therapy calling it "nothing more than pure abuse".

During the debate, Mr Gibson spoke of the harm done to the seven per cent of LGBT people who were affected by the practices.

He said: “In preparing for this debate, I was told of the story of a 13-year-old boy who knew he was gay but because of the views of those around him felt guilt and shame.

“He was subjected to shaking and incantations prayed over him for the demons of homosexuality to leave his body and he was encouraged to return regularly until he was cured of his homosexual desires.

"He was naturally shaken by this experience and suffered the scars for many years. Thankfully, he did not go back and is happy and content with who he is.

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“That small story is just one of many that have been shared in recent years as the debate over this ban has unfolded.

"There are some who don’t believe that this abuse - and it is abuse - exists.”

Though the Bill was not voted on today, Peter is continuing calls for the Government to bring forward a plan to ban conversion therapy which the Government has committed to doing.