Under the cover of the fallout of the US election and the return (did he ever go away?) of Donald Trump, the UK government extended their ‘emergency’ ban on the private prescription of puberty blockers.

Due to expire on 27 November 2024, it will now run until the end of the year, expiring on 31 December 2024.

The extension was co-signed by Northern Ireland’s Minister of Health, Mike Nesbitt, who helped usher in the original ban.

Adults (18+) can still access these drugs with NHS or private prescriptions, but identity and age checks are required for private ones. For children under 18, only approved UK doctors can prescribe these hormones, and they can’t be used for gender transition unless treatment started before 3rd June 2024 (in England, Scotland, Wales) or 27th August 2024 (in Northern Ireland).

It is claimed that they need more time to go through responses to their consultation, but few believe they are taking those seriously, with their minds already set on what the result should be. There is a wide expectation in the trans community that the temporary ban will be converted into a permanent one and, while Wes Streeting has, reportedly, been meeting with affected parties, history has shown that doesn’t matter to him.

He has his ideology and no amount of real world harm is likely to change his view.