Thread by @PaulBrandITV

NEW: A letter I've seen from the Prime Minister to the Evangelical Alliance suggests govt will *not* ban prayer for someone's sexuality.

"We will continue to allow adults to receive appropriate pastoral support (including prayer)...in exploration of their sexual orientation."

There are sensitive religious freedoms at play here. But the vast majority of so-called conversion therapy takes place in religious settings, where people are promised that through prayer they can change their sexuality. Campaigners say any meaningful ban must cover this.

For example, would the PM consider this to be "pastoral support"?

At Winners Chapel (a member of the Evangelical Alliance) our undercover reporter was told that the devil had made him gay and all he needed to do was submit himself to intensive prayer.

itv.com/news/2018-11-1…

Any distinction between coercive and non-coercive practice misses much of what goes on. Most people volunteer for conversion therapy, or are pressured into it by their families, because they are scared and desperate. Rather than changing them, it often leaves them suicidal.

There is still scope in the PM's letter for a ban on religious conversion therapy. It all depends on the precise definitions involved. MPs who've been lobbying for a ban remain confident that the government will deliver something meaningful in law.

Understand that there is significant internal wrangling going on within the Conservative party on all of this. Several influential evangelical MPs and advisors are lobbying PM to scale back a ban, while newer and younger MPs in particular are pushing for action.

Full letter from PM to Evangelical Alliance is here - the nuance is important.

In response to this story, government says:

"We have made clear that we will take action to stamp out conversion therapy in this country. We have engaged with a variety of stakeholders as part of this process and will bring forward proposals shortly."