Andy Burnham urged to defend Christian freedom in 'defining test' for new PM

Andy Burnham has been urged to defend "Christian freedoms" over buffer zones surrounding abortion clinics in a "defining test" for the Prime Minister.

Director of the conservative campaign group The Christian Institute, Ciarán Kelly, claimed the treatment of Christians under buffer zone legislation and the proposed conversion therapy ban would be a defining test for Mr Burnham.

Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023 made it an offence for a person who is within a safe access zone of 150 metres from any part of an abortion clinic to influence, obstruct or harass anyone accessing the facility in England and Wales.

Mr Kelly argued that one of the "defining tests" of Mr Burnham's government would be on whether it would allow an "attack on religious freedom to continue".

Writing for Spiked, Mr Kelly said: "Christians are increasingly finding themselves on the wrong side of existing or proposed laws that threaten the public expression of their beliefs."

Pointing to guidance from Northern Ireland, in which a retired pastor was convicted of breaching buffer zone laws by delivering an open-air sermon near a healthcare facility, Mr Kelly said it was "astonishing" that it could be allowed in "a liberal democracy".

Mr Kelly claims guidance suggests if a woman who has lost a child asks for prayer or a pastoral visit from a chaplain, they would have to consider actions very carefully, as another woman accessing abortion services nearby may be "influenced or distressed" by the chaplain’s actions.

He said: "A hospital chaplain comforting grieving parents with scriptural verses after the loss of a child could find himself subject to police scrutiny."

Mr Kelly also warned against new legislation introducing conversion therapy, designed to stop abusive attempts to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

A person who causes harm or distress in trying to change someone else’s sexual orientation or gender would face up to five years in prison or an unlimited fine, according to the proposal.

Conservative Christian groups warned any ban on conversion practices may lead to the criminalisation of parents advising their children against gender transition surgery or pastors praying for people coming to them for help.

He said: "The concern with this growing legal edifice is not what parliament intends today, but how these laws are interpreted tomorrow.

"It certainly seems that with each new measure, justified by reference to genuinely harmful (and often already illegal) conduct, the space in which Christianity can be expressed publicly gets that bit smaller."

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The bill, which would cover England and Wales, aims to "prevent and protect" LGBT+ people from abusive attempts to change their sexual orientation or transgender identity, Equalities Minister Olivia Bailey said.

Its publication on Thursday came eight years on from when the ban was first promised in 2018 by former Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May.

Those initial proposals were later downgraded under Boris Johnson’s leadership to not include transgender people.

But Labour said it has now fulfilled a 2024 manifesto commitment to bring in a full trans-inclusive ban on the conversion practices.

The Evangelical Alliance has branded the Bill "deeply concerning" and pledged to challenge its contents.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) welcomed the publication of the draft Bill which it said "has the potential to offer meaningful protection to people who have suffered serious harm and abuse at the hands of those seeking to change who they are".

But it cautioned that any new law must be based on "clear definitions and boundaries that protect legitimate medical treatment and therapy as well as ensuring people’s rights to freedom of religion and freedom of expression are not disproportionately restricted".

Asked about such concerns, Ms Bailey said she is "confident that this legislation does not disproportionately restrict" any of those rights.

The Evangelical Alliance said they believed the Bill as published will "fundamentally undermine the role of parents and carers while also ignoring freedom of religion and belief".

Peter Lynas, its UK director, said: "The definition of abusive practices is entirely subjective and could leave a wide range of people at risk of prosecution even years later.

"We are disappointed that the concerns we have consistently raised have been ignored and we will work with others to challenge these proposals."

Co-chief executive of anti-LGBT+ abuse charity Galop Jasmine O’Connor said the charity "frequently witnesses the devastating impacts caused by conversion practices" and said gaps in the law had left people "unprotected against covert and insidious forms of abuse".

The LGBT+ anti-abuse charity Galop said its research had shown such practices "are not a thing of the past", adding in 195 cases dealt with by their support services between 2022 and 2025, more than two thirds were recent or ongoing.