Rival MPs issue joint plea to stop trial of puberty blockers

TWO rival MPs have joined forces to make a fresh plea for the controversial puberty blocker trial to be stopped.

- BY KATIE HARRIS Senior Political Correspondent

Labour's Jonathan Hinder and Conservative Rebecca Paul are urging Health Secretary Wes Streeting to halt the NHS trial, which they have described as a shameful experiment on children.

They warned of the damage the clinical trial could pose to youngsters and raised concerns over whether children can consent.

The pair also insisted that the issue was not on the party politics spectrum.

Writing today jointly in a piece for the Daily Express, the MPs said: "Puberty can be a tough time for anyone.

"What children need is support to accept their healthy bodies as they are, rather than being told their bodies are somehow 'wrong'.

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"Puberty blockers will put them on the path to sterilisation, lack of sexual function, and needing medical treatment for life.

"All before they are old enough to know what is happening to them. No child can consent to this."

Mr Hinder and Ms Paul are among dozens of MPs who have signed a cross-party letter to the Health Secretary organised by independent MP Rosie Duffield.