Sir Keir Starmer has formally apologised on behalf of the state for the scandal of historical forced adoptions, telling women whose babies were taken from them: “The shame was never yours, the shame is ours,” reports BritPanorama.
Speaking in Parliament, the Prime Minister characterised the practice, widespread in the decades following the Second World War, as a “stain on our history”. Women who had been forced to give up their children attended the session, with some visibly moved as the apology was made.
No definitive figures are available, but it is estimated that around 185,000 babies of unmarried mothers were adopted in England and Wales between 1949 and 1976. In his apology, Starmer stated that what transpired to “tens of thousands of mothers, children, and families” was unacceptable.
His remarks included an acknowledgment that mothers, many of whom were young and without support, were pressured into believing they had no alternative but to surrender their children. This coercion was not an isolated failure but rather a systematic practice across local authorities and various institutions, including parts of the NHS.
Starmer recounted the experiences of one mother, Ann Keen, who described being stitched without anaesthetic and told: “‘You will remember the pain, because you’ve been a bad girl.’” He previously informed campaigners in Downing Street that they had suffered a “double injustice” due to the lengthy wait for acknowledgment from the state.
For decades, mothers like Keen have campaigned for recognition and justice, recounting the emotional turmoil of their children’s removal and the associated stigma. Calls for a state apology intensified following a 2022 report by the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), which deemed the government ultimately responsible for the suffering inflicted by public institutions.
While official apologies were issued in Cardiff and Holyrood in 2023, Westminster’s apology delivered on Thursday marked a significant development in this long-standing issue. Those removed from their mothers during childhood have also expressed their suffering, affected by a flawed narrative suggesting that adoption was a benevolent necessity.
In Northern Ireland, a formal apology is anticipated post-public inquiry, in accordance with recommendations from a 2021 report focused on mother and baby institutions. Two weeks prior, the Church of England apologised for its role in this distressing chapter, acknowledging the lifelong impact on families.
Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally remarked that the stigma faced by survivors was deeply regrettable, stating that the trauma inflicted was significant. The then-Conservative government resisted calls for a formal apology in 2023, claiming that the state had not actively supported the practices in question.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson confirmed last month that an apology addressing what she described as a “shameful period in our history” was forthcoming. Campaigners have long sought an apology that would encompass a recognition of wrongdoing and assurance that such actions will not be repeated.
Current efforts for closure became more poignant with the recent passing of key campaigner Veronica Smith, who co-founded the Movement for an Adoption Apology (MAA) in 2010. Her death in June 2024, just prior to the government’s apology, has underlined the emotional weight of the moment.
Diana Defries, the current MAA chairwoman, expressed sorrow that many of the mothers who tirelessly campaigned for acknowledgment are no longer here to witness the government’s admission. “It’s hugely poignant.” Her comments reflect a deep sentiment of loss intertwined with a sense of victory for long-standing advocates.
The apology signifies a recognition of a painful chapter in Britain’s history, though for many, it is also a reminder of the emotional toll that such historical injustices exert on individuals and families.
