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The Green party is considering a new policy to ban circumcision, The Spectator can reveal. The party’s Health Policy Working Group (HPWG) has launched a consultation seeking views on whether parents should only be allowed to consent ‘to an irreversible surgical procedure on a child if that procedure is medically necessary’. The HPWG is also requesting opinions on whether ‘non-therapeutic male circumcision should only be performed on children who are old enough to make an informed choice’.
The policy proposal, launched ahead of the Greens’ Autumn Conference, is likely to provoke significant division within Zack Polanski’s party. Circumcision is an integral part of Judaism, with Jewish boys traditionally undergoing a ‘brit milah’ on the eighth day after birth. It is also a common procedure in the Muslim faith. Russell Langer, Director of Public Affairs at the Jewish Leadership Council, said: ‘Circumcision is a vital part of Jewish life and an essential link to our religion and heritage. This is also a practice shared with many of the Muslim faith. Any suggestion of a ban on circumcision will have a significant impact on our communities and the future of the UK as a tolerant society which respects freedom of religion and belief.’
