Diana Defries, who had her daughter forcibly taken from her when she was 16 years old, has shared her thoughts on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's apology for the government's role in historical forced adoptions. Speaking on ITV's This Morning on July 6, Defries described the apology as both emotional and a relief after waiting five decades for acknowledgment.
Starmer's Apology and Emotional Impact
During the apology, Starmer stated: "The shame is not yours. The shame was never yours. The shame is ours." Defries, who attended the apology, told presenters Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley: "Initially, it was a very emotional experience because no one has really publicly acknowledged the injustice and he did that for us. He did that for everyone affected. It was done sympathetically, compassionately and with tremendous consideration of the aspects of this experience and the way it affects different people." She added: "It was also a relief because finally we've been seen and we've been understood and heard."
Historical Context: 185,000 Babies Taken
Throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, approximately 185,000 babies were forcibly taken from young mothers deemed unfit due to being unmarried. Defries was one of those mothers. She gave birth in 1974 at age 16, after being abandoned by the baby's father and keeping the pregnancy secret as long as possible. When discovered, she described it as "hell breaking loose," with events moving quickly beyond her control.
Defries' Birth Experience and Separation
Defries detailed the birth, saying medical staff did not speak to her and were efficient but unkind. "They weren't kind in any way, there was no reassurance, there was nobody to hold my hand," she said. After birth, she was left alone with her daughter for four hours but could not reach her as the baby was across the room. The longest she held her daughter was during the journey back to London after leaving the hospital. She recalled: "I held her all the way back, we got to the adoption agency, and I was still holding her. The woman came out and said, 'It's time'. She was pulled from my arms with me saying 'No,' they pulled her out of my arms and handed her over."
Reunion and Ongoing Relationship
Defries later reconnected with her daughter when she turned 18, and they have since built a relationship. The apology, she said, provided long-awaited recognition of the injustice she and many others endured. This Morning airs weekdays on ITV at 10am.
