Plans to ban controversial "gay conversion therapy" will be brought forward after the government completes a "study" on the issue, the PM says. Boris Johnson said the practice was "absolutely abhorrent" and "has no place in this country".

His comments come two years after the government pledged to ban it as part of its LGBT equality plan. Campaigners have said they hope the ban on "conversion therapy" covers all LGBT people, including trans people.

The term "conversion therapy" refers to any form of treatment or psychotherapy which aims to change a person's sexual orientation or to suppress a person's gender identity. All major UK therapy professional bodies and the NHS disagree with it on logical, ethical and moral grounds.

Mr Johnson said: "On the gay conversion therapy thing, I think that's absolutely abhorrent and has no place in a civilised society, and has no place in this country. "What we are going to do is a study right now on, you know, where is this actually happening, how prevalent is it, and we will then bring forward plans to ban it." On the government's response to a consultation on the Gender Recognition Act, Mr Johnson said it will be published "over the summer".

Layla Moran, a Liberal Democrat leadership candidate who revealed in January she was pansexual and in a relationship with a woman, said the "conversion therapy" remarks were welcome but "there have been 'plans' and 'pledges' for over two years now". “What we need is urgent government action to end this outdated and harmful practice for good," she said. Read more via BBC