So-called conversion therapy aimed at curing gay people should already be illegal says one of the organisers of Swindon and Wiltshire Pride.

His comments come in the wake of a promise by the prime minister to ban what he described as “absolutely abhorrent” practices intended to change people’s sexual orientation.

Joshua Anderson, the social media manager for Pride, believes it should already be banned because it is two years since Theresa May’s government pledge to end it.

He said: “It seems odd because everyone is so united against it, it’s a non-issue, everyone believes it’s wrong yet they’ve still not outlawed it.

“It feels like it should be one of those things that would be easy to go through parliament and not many people would oppose it. It’s weird they still haven’t done that.”

He said one of the main reasons it should be made illegal is because of the damage it can cause to an individual .

“It would be the same as someone trying to change your eye colour,” he said.

“Any process to reject being LGBT is damaging to the person and their character.

“It can lead to depression and suicide, it can make your life awful and people who have gone through it have said that.

“If you are in a country where it’s not illegal, it sends a message to the community that you are ‘other’ and people are there to help you not be who you are.”

Mrs May’s LGBT action plan followed a survey of more than 100,000 people that revealed two per cent of those polled had undergone conversion therapy and another five per cent had been offered it.

Boris Johnson said this week his government would carry out a study to see how prevalent the practice was and then bring forward plans to ban it.

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson said: “I strongly believe that the suggestion you can ‘cure’ LGBT people is morally wrong, moreover, it is medically wrong too.”

The head of the NHS, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the UK Council for Psychotherapy, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and the British Medical Association had all concluded such treatment was unethical and potentially harmful.

“I am pleased that the governments’ equalities office recently stated that the government remained committed to ending conversion therapy. The government will consider all options to end the promoting, offering or conducting of conversion therapy.

He added: “I am assured that the government’s main objective is to protect people who are vulnerable to harm, whether that’s in a medical, commercial or faith-based context.”