Fashion mogul Adam Frisby's campaign to reform surrogacy laws in the United Kingdom is set to be debated in Parliament, following his appearance on the daytime programme This Morning. The petition, which has garnered more than 100,000 signatures, seeks to address legal challenges faced by intended parents.
Background of the Case
Adam Frisby and his fiancé Jamie Corbett have openly discussed their struggle to be legally recognised as parents to their daughter, Leven. The couple turned to surrogacy in the United States due to what they describe as more protective legal frameworks there. Their surrogate, Krista, an American woman, was not biologically related to Leven, who was conceived using a donor egg and the couple's sperm.
Despite Leven being born in January, under current UK law, the surrogate remains the legal mother. This means the couple faces a lengthy court process to obtain a parental order, which they argue should not be necessary in 2026.
Legal Challenges
During their appearance on This Morning, Adam and Jamie explained the disparities between US and UK surrogacy laws. In the US, intended parents are legally recognised from birth, and surrogates cannot change their minds. In contrast, UK law grants the surrogate a period during which she can decide to keep the child, leaving intended parents in legal limbo.
"The way the UK law stands at the moment is that when a child is born by surrogacy, the surrogate is automatically the legal mother at birth - even if they've got no biological connection," Adam stated. Jamie added that the law classifies their daughter as "parentless" because she was not born via what UK law deems the "right means."
Petition and Public Support
The couple launched a petition calling for surrogacy law reform, which gained over 90,000 signatures within 36 hours and has now surpassed 101,000. This level of support ensures the petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.
Expressing gratitude, Adam said on social media: "Huge thank you to This Morning, Cat Deeley & Ben Shephard for being so lovely and giving us the space to share our story... our inbox is flooded with love."
The case highlights ongoing debates about surrogacy legislation, with advocates calling for updates to better protect all parties involved.
