British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to deliver a formal apology in the House of Commons today on behalf of the state to victims of forced adoption policies that were in place in England and Wales between 1949 and 1976. An estimated 185,000 babies were taken from unmarried mothers and placed for adoption during this period, driven by a culture of shame surrounding pregnancy outside marriage.
Background of Forced Adoptions
The mother and baby homes involved were mostly run by religious organisations, but councils were involved in placing children for adoption. In March, the Commons education committee said the government should issue a formal apology. The joint committee on human rights (JCHR) had called for a state apology in 2022, stating that "the government bears ultimate responsibility for the pain and suffering caused by public institutions and state employees that railroaded mothers into unwanted adoptions."
Starmer's Statement and Meetings
Starmer is expected to meet with campaigners in Downing Street this morning before delivering his statement in parliament around 11.30am. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson confirmed last month that the apology was coming, calling it a "shameful period in our history." Mothers forced to give up their babies have described harrowing experiences of having them taken away and lingering feelings of shame, while adults who were removed as children have spoken of a "harmful narrative" that adoption had saved them.
Regional and Political Context
The Westminster apology comes three years after administrations in Cardiff and Holyrood said sorry to people impacted across Wales and Scotland. In Northern Ireland, an apology is expected but not until after a public inquiry, following a recommendation from a 2021 report on mother and baby institutions, Magdalene laundries and workhouses. Despite the JCHR report, the then-Conservative government in 2023 said while it was sorry "on behalf of society" for the way women had been treated, it did not think a formal apology appropriate "since the state did not actively support these practices."
Other Political Events Today
Other events today include Lib Dem leader Ed Davey visiting a water company-related site, Business Secretary Peter Kyle taking questions in the Commons, and Kemi Badenoch on a visit in Hertfordshire. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will also publish a written statement on her response to part one of the inquiry into the Southport killings.
