Starmer asks the House of Commons for forgiveness for forced adoptions in England and Wales

The occasion: Between 1949 and 1976, more than 180,000 babies of unmarried mothers were forcibly placed for adoption. The women were intimidated, pressured or misled and believed they had no choice but to give up their children. According to PA, many of those affected still suffer from feelings of shame to this day.

In the House of Commons, Starmer said that authorities had been given power over people's lives but had exercised it "ohne Mitgefühl, ohne Mitbestimmung, ohne Würde und ohne angemessene Schutzmechanismen". It had not been a matter of "Einzelfällen" but of systemic practices within local authorities.

Scotland apologised in 2023

The Scottish government had already issued an apology for forced adoptions in 2023. The British government has now followed with a formal apology for England and Wales. Observers view the step as historic but criticise it as long overdue.

For decades, the issue had largely been hushed up in Britain. It was only through the efforts of activists who spoke out publicly about their experiences that the injustice gained greater public awareness. Affected mothers also increasingly shared their experiences in public.

Demands for a reckoning

Years earlier, according to the broadcaster Sky, the Joint Committee on Human Rights had called for a state apology. This was preceded by an investigation in which those affected and experts were interviewed.

The initiative "Movement for an Adoption Apology" described the apology as an "important step" and as recognition of the suffering of "the hundreds of thousands of mothers who still live with their loss". At the same time, the movement said the apology had come far too late.

The practice of forced adoptions fell in a time when unmarried mothers faced intense social pressure. Pregnancies outside marriage were considered a stain, and authorities and social workers intervened deeply in families' lives. Evidence of coercion and manipulation is documented in reports from those affected and in parliamentary investigations.

Consequences and open questions

With the apology, the British government acknowledges the state's responsibility for the suffering of those affected. According to the available reports, Starmer left open what concrete measures – such as compensation, access to files or a formal inquiry – should follow.

The demand for a comprehensive reckoning therefore remains on the agenda. Observers expect that the apology will increase pressure on the government to further research and highlight the life paths of the affected mothers, children and families.

Overall, it is becoming clear that the apology is understood as a political signal but represents only a beginning. The discussion about compensation, rehabilitation and investigation of the forced adoptions is likely to continue to occupy Parliament.

Reporting on the apology was broadcast on Deutschlandfunk on 02.07.2026. The topic thus also attracted attention in the German-language media landscape, although the historical events concern only England and Wales.