Prime Minister Keir Starmer makes a formal apology in Parliament on behalf of the UK state for historic forced adoption policies that harmed mothers and children. The practice is described as taking babies from their mothers, often unmarried, between 1949 and 1976, when adoption decisions were carried out without genuine informed consent. Several outlets report that Starmer’s statement follows meetings with campaigners and is intended to address a long-running campaign by survivors. Coverage also notes that other institutions have already issued apologies relating to their role in the issue. The Church of England previously apologized for its part in forced adoptions, and references to that apology appear in broader reporting. Some estimates cited in the coverage place the number of babies affected at around 185,000 in England and Wales. Additional stories mention ongoing calls for action beyond the apology, including support for those affected, but the immediate common point across reports is that Starmer’s apology is issued formally to victims. The apology is therefore positioned as the latest step in an effort to acknowledge state responsibility and respond to survivors’ demands after years of campaigning.