UK Prime Minister issues state apology for forced adoptions

Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a formal state apology on Thursday, July 2, 2026, for the United Kingdom's role in the historical forced adoption of babies from unmarried mothers, describing the decades-long practice as a "stain on our history." Speaking in the House of Commons, Starmer apologized directly to survivors watching from the gallery, stating, "The shame is not yours. The shame was never yours. The shame is ours."

An estimated 185,000 mothers, adoptees, and families in England and Wales were affected by these practices, which were particularly prevalent between 1949 and 1976. The Prime Minister said young, vulnerable mothers were "coerced, bullied, or misled" by official bodies into giving up their children. He stated that institutions, including local authorities, voluntary and faith-based organizations, and health and social care services, operated "without compassion, without consent, and without dignity or proper safeguards."

The apology follows years of campaigning by survivors and their families. It comes after the Scottish and Welsh governments issued their own formal apologies in 2023 and after a parliamentary inquiry earlier this year urged immediate...