Wes Streeting fears clock being turned back on LGBTQ progress
The former Health Secretary stands by decisions on the provision of puberty blockers for young people, but said it was "hard".
Wes Streeting has told LBC he fears the clock being turned back on the LGBTQ progress made in the country.
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Speaking to LBC's Lewis Goodall on Sunday, the former Health Secretary said rising hatred and prejudice in a range of forms in the country makes him fear the clock being turned back.
Mr Streeting, who is openly gay, spoke about how he was not open about his sexual orientation previously.
He said he was "terrified" because he grew up at a time when it was legal to discriminate against people for being gay in the provision of goods and services, and it was illegal to serve in the armed forces.
"I grew up, actually, at that time, fearing. I knew that I was gay, but I feared, 'Would I be discriminated against? What would that be like?'
"And I have seen how a Labour government changed laws, hearts and minds, how to such an extent that it was a Conservative-led government with Labour votes and with the Lib Dems in coalition that brought in equal marriage rights."
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He added: "I thought, we've done it, we've won. And now, with what's going on in this country, with rising hatred and prejudice of a range of forms, I do fear the clock being turned back."
Mr Streeting also revealed he found it hard at times as an openly gay Health Secretary in the conversation about transgender rights.
In 2025, Mr Streeting rejected calls to stop a trial of puberty-blocking drugs for gender-questioning children. The year prior, he permanently banned the prescribing of puberty blockers to under-18s.
"Knowing that some of the decisions that I took as Health Secretary, particularly around the provision of puberty blockers for young people.
"I did the right thing based on medical advice and evidence, and I stand by those decisions," he said.
"But the thing that I found really uncomfortable about it is that I knew that for lots of trans young people, LGBT people more broadly, and campaigners for equality, it was one of the first things that I had to do as the Health Secretary, and it was to uphold the decision taken by the Conservatives.
"And I know that what happened was people going, 'oh no, new government, same as the old government'. And I actually, on a very personal level, really wrestled with that.
"And because I knew that, although it was the right decision, I knew how it would make people feel, that was hard.
"And I stand by the decision, but I found that hard.
"And I do think that in this day and age, for all of the division of our time, do I think this country is any less respectful, inclusive? No."
Lewis noted that some trans people may say they feel less included because of decisions made by the Labour government, which Mr Streeting said he does not doubt.
Mr Streeting continued: "But one of the things I've tried to do is to almost, in the way that we did in the conflict between religious freedom and same sex rights on marriage, try and find a way through that maybe not everyone loves, but everyone can live with."