PM to issue formal apology for historical forced adoptions
The Prime Minister is set to issue a formal apology to survivors of historical forced adoptions, acknowledging past wrongs.
Narrative Synthesis
Neutral news article compiled by integrating coverage details from all reporting stations.
The Prime Minister has issued a formal apology on behalf of the state to survivors of historical forced adoptions, acknowledging what he called a 'stain on our history'. Sir Keir Starmer met campaigners at Downing Street before making a statement in the House of Commons, where he said he was 'deeply and profoundly sorry' to the mothers who were told they were unfit and to the children, now adults, who were taken from their families.
An estimated 185,000 babies were taken from unmarried mothers in England and Wales between 1949 and 1976. The practice was driven by a combination of religious institutions, GPs, hospitals, and family members, with the state turning a blind eye. A report by the Joint Committee on Human Rights in 2022 found that government decisions shaped an environment in which unmarried mothers were shamed and coerced into giving up their children.
In his apology, the Prime Minister directly addressed survivors watching from the gallery. He quoted one woman, Anne Lloyd-Keene, who told the Education Committee she was stitched without anaesthetic and told: 'You will remember the pain because you've been a bad girl.' Starmer said: 'The shame is not yours. The shame was never yours. The shame is ours.' He added that he hoped the apology would help lift some of the 'gut-wrenching sense of shame' that many still carry.
Campaigners welcomed the apology but stressed that words must be followed by action. Emily Firth, chief executive of Adoption UK, said: 'Today's apology matters because it acknowledges a profound injustice that should never have happened. But words alone are not enough.' She called for a comprehensive programme of support for all those affected, including trauma-informed lifelong care.
The apology follows similar moves by the Welsh and Scottish governments in 2023 and by the Church of England last month. In Northern Ireland, an apology is expected but only after a public inquiry has concluded. Many campaigners noted that the apology came too late for some survivors who had died before seeing it.
The Prime Minister also asked the Home Secretary to consider what can be done to deport the Rochdale grooming gang leader at the heart of a prison row release, though this was a separate development covered in the same news cycle.
On screen
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Key Claims
Factual or political claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | Sky News |
|---|---|---|
| An estimated 185,000 babies were taken from unmarried mothers in England and Wales between 1949 and 1976. | ||
| The Prime Minister will issue a formal apology on behalf of the state to survivors of forced adoptions. | ||
| Northern Ireland's apology will follow a public inquiry. | · | |
| The Prime Minister met campaigners at Downing Street earlier today. | · | |
| The then Conservative government said a formal apology was not appropriate because the state did not actively support forced adoptions. | · |
Channel Perspectives
Editorial focus, emphasis angles, and key quotes from each reporting news station.
Sky News provided extensive, live coverage of the apology, including a pre-event segment with political correspondent Alex Rogers detailing survivor testimonies and the historical context, and a later segment featuring the Prime Minister's full Commons speech and reaction from campaigners. The channel emphasised the emotional weight of the apology, the long campaign by survivors, and the rarity of a state apology. It also connected the story to other news, such as the Ukraine attack, but kept the forced adoption story as a main headline.
- “The shame is not yours. The shame was never yours. The shame is ours.”
- “You will remember the pain because you've been a bad girl.”
- “For decades, mothers were coerced into having their children taken for adoption, causing lifelong trauma for the women and the adoptees who were separated.”
5 News at Lunchtime gave a very brief, factual summary of the apology, focusing on the key numbers and the fact that the Prime Minister met campaigners. It also noted the separate situation in Northern Ireland, where an apology is expected after a public inquiry. The coverage was concise and lacked the depth of survivor testimonies or political analysis seen on Sky News.
Bulletin Timeline
Chronological list of news reports tracked for this story.