Tag: 2026

PRESS RELEASE : We stand in solidarity with Bahrain, Kuwait, and all our partners across the Gulf – UK statement at the UN Security Council [July 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 July 2026.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Bahrain.

The United Kingdom strongly condemns Iran’s reckless attacks against Bahrain and Kuwait, and on international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

First, these attacks are directly contrary to resolution 2817, put civilian lives in danger, and risk destabilising an already fragile region.

We stand in solidarity with Bahrain, Kuwait, and all our partners across the Gulf.

The United Kingdom remains committed to regional security and stability, and we will continue to provide practical support to strengthen the defence and security of our partners.

Second, the UK gives our strong backing to the International Maritime Organisation’s efforts to evacuate vessels and seafarers, which has seen a number of vessels able to safely exit the Strait, some after months of being stranded.

The IMO have had to pause their efforts as a direct result of these attacks, and we hope they will be able to resume their work as soon as possible.

We call for the right of transit passage to be fully restored in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

It is critical that the Strait is free from the threat of violence and any form of tolls or unlawful impediments, and that all parties comply with their obligations under international law.

The UK is committed to playing our part to achieve this, including through a strictly defensive and independent multinational military mission, led jointly with our French partners to provide reassurance to commercial shipping.

Finally, President, the UK welcomes and supports the implementation of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding and the ongoing negotiations.

We recognise this as a moment of opportunity to restore stability, not only for the region but also for the global economy.

It is essential that global security and economic interests are safeguarded under a final agreement.

04/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : More farmers supported to grow their businesses and restore nature [July 2026]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 2 July 2026.

New application process for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier opening environmental schemes to more farmers.

For the first time, Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) will open to direct applications from farmers and land managers, helping more businesses secure funding to restore nature while producing food.

Speaking at Groundswell Festival 2026 today (2 July), Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds announced farmers and land managers will be able to apply for woodland agreements, agroforestry agreements and new single-focus agreements to restore species-rich grassland, with an initial cohort of up to 1,200 single-focus agreements available.

When CSHT launched last September, farmers and land managers could only apply if invited by Natural England or the Forestry Commission as part of a phased rollout. From later this summer, this restriction will be lifted, allowing farmers and land managers to begin the application process themselves by submitting an Expression of Interest, opening the scheme to more applicants and giving them greater control over how they apply, helping them deliver more for nature, heritage and their businesses.

The changes build on the government’s commitment to make environmental schemes more accessible and deliver the Farming Roadmap by giving farmers clearer routes into support while continuing to target funding where it can deliver the greatest environmental benefit.

It follows the reopening of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) this week, designed to be simpler, fairer, and more accessible than ever before. As expected on opening Window 1, demand was strong on the first day, with a high number of applications. The latest data shows that application volumes have begun to level off, and applications are being received at a steady pace.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said:

Every thriving meadow restored, every historic landscape protected and every woodland managed more sustainably starts with farmers and land managers who care deeply.

The Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier will be simpler and easier for more applicants to access, giving more farmers and land managers the opportunity to invest in their businesses while helping to create a richer, greener countryside for future generations.

The expanded offer announced today will, for the first time, open applications to farmers and land managers without the need for an invitation, with support for restoring and managing species-rich grassland, improving woodland management, establishing agroforestry, and conserving scheduled monuments.

This will help more farmers and land managers deliver environmental improvements while continuing food production, alongside continued support for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and HLS agreement holders whose agreements expire in 2026 or early 2027.

Later this year, we will begin trialling applications on common land ahead of implementing a wider rollout.

At least £50 million will be available for new CSHT agreements this year. Natural England will continue to prioritise farmers with agreements ending or those who have already completed the preparatory work needed to apply.

04/07/2026
Emma Reynolds – 2026 Speech at Groundswell Festival

The speech made by Emma Reynolds, the Environment Secretary, on 2 July 2026.

Good afternoon, Groundswell. I’m really excited to be here today.

I’ve heard so much about Groundswell so my expectations were quite high, but I have to say today has exceeded all my expectations. The passion, the energy, the innovation, the optimism, and the buzz about this place is infectious.

No wonder people call it the Glastonbury of farming.

I would like to thank the Cherry family for hosting such an amazing event and having the vision 10 years ago to set this up.

As Environment Secretary, I see nature-friendly farming not as an alternative to productive farming, but as its foundation. I believe that profitable, resilient farming comes from working with nature. That belief has been at the heart of what I’ve been doing ever since my appointment last year as Secretary of State.

We all know that healthy soils are central to nature-friendly farming. They store more water during droughts, they support diverse habitats, they support pollinators and they support pest control. They provide cleaner water, stronger ecosystems and more efficient use of inputs.

That is why I am so excited about this agenda. And earlier today I was chatting with Andy Cato.  We were talking about the government’s 25-year Farming Roadmap, which I published just last week. England’s first ever long-term farming roadmap. It provides a long-term plan through to 2050, and nature and regenerative farming runs right through it.

It brings together the different things that affect your farms and that I have been talking to people about this morning. The environment, land use, animal welfare and business resilience into one clear direction.

It sets out how improving nutrient management and input efficiency will help farmers to reduce resilience on artificial fertilisers, cut input costs and, crucially, boost resilience.

Ultimately, it shows that profitability and nature are not competing aims. They are inseparable. And we need innovation to help that strategic shift set out in the roadmap to a more nature-friendly farming system.

Last week, I announced £123 million pounds through the Farming Innovation Programme to back new technology and improve productivity.

That funding is already supporting some really exciting projects. This morning, I’ve met with Harper Adams University and UK Agritech Centre to discuss how technology can cut inputs, improve resilience, and work more closely with nature.

And I’ve seen the impact that government support has on farms across the country.

Earlier this year, I met Adrian and Charlotte Downing, who run Darville’s Hill Farm in Buckinghamshire. It’s a small mixed farm with native breed sheep, rare breed pigs, and an agroforestry approach that weaves trees and hedgerows into productive farmland. Over a cup of tea, and I am a big tea drinker, they talked me through their approach. The hedgerow management gives their livestock shelter and supports wildlife. Their grazing system improves soil health and environmental management.

They had benefited from SFI, a scheme which funds actions to directly improve soil health, the foundations of regenerative farming through actions like cover crops, herbal lays and building organic matter in the soil.

Window one of SFI26 opened on Tuesday and we have seen strong interest in it already.

And I’m delighted to say today that we are allowing farmers with land management agreements that are soon to expire to apply early for SFI26 so that you have the same confidence in the future as we do.

So, I’m really pleased to confirm that this new functionality will be available for window two, which opens in September.

But as I said, behind the numbers, there is a real story. Because when we get soil right, so much else follows. It means stronger crops, lower input costs, greater resilience. So in 10, 20 years’ time, the next generation can continue to run productive farm businesses, thriving landscapes, and a countryside richer in nature.

It’s why I’m delighted to announce today that we are making changes to the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier, changes that will make the scheme simpler and more accessible.

The scheme already supports some of the most ambitious environmental work happening on farms today, bringing wetlands, peatlands and heathlands back to life, helping threatened species recover, restoring rivers and floodplains and caring for ancient and native woodlands.

Until now, the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier has been invitation only, very exclusive. That is changing. From later this summer, farmers and land managers will be able to submit an expression of interest and we are introducing simpler, single-focus agreements so applicants can focus on the environmental priorities that matter most on their land.

Backed by at least £50 million pounds for new agreements, this will help support targeted improvements where they can make the biggest difference. And we will set out more detail later this summer.

So, ladies and gentlemen, I want to take a step back now and look at how far we’ve come in just a year.

I’ve published a long-term roadmap for the future of farming. I’ve published a revised Environmental Innovation Programme. I’ve published the country’s first ever Land Use Framework. And we have reopened SFI with record levels of investment. And backed innovation that will help farm businesses become more productive, more profitable and more resilient.

Thank you all again for engaging with us to help make all of this possible, for your willingness to adapt as farmers have always adapted across the generations.

What I see at Groundswell gives me great inspiration and great optimism for the future. Your determination to leave the land in a better condition for the next generation is truly impressive.

Thank you very much.

04/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Two teenage boys given custodial sentences after Attorney General intervenes [July 2026]
The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 2 July 2026.

Two teenage boys who raped two girls and filmed their crimes in Fordingbridge will now spend time in custody after the Attorney General referred their sentences to the Court of Appeal.

Two teenagers responsible for raping two girls, across two separate incidents, and filming the abuse had their sentences increased to four years detention and indefinite restraining orders (preventing them from contacting the victims), after Attorney General Richard Hermer KC referred their case to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. The third teenagers’ sentence was left unchanged.

The court heard that on 26 November 2024, one victim, a 15-year-old girl was led to an underpass in Fordingbridge, after arranging to meet one of the offenders. Two others attended without her prior knowledge. She was then raped by two of the offenders, while a third watched. The attack was filmed and the footage later shared online. The victim was threatened and told not to report the abuse.

All three offenders were convicted of the rape of a second victim, a 14-year-old girl, on 17 January 2025. The attack was again filmed.

In a victim personal statement, the 15-year-old victim described experiencing significant emotional and physical distress. The 14-year-old victim said that the abuse had negatively impacted her attendance at school and described severe emotional distress including ongoing issues with anxiety.

Attorney General Richard Hermer KC said:

Rape is a horrifying crime, and one that our justice system should and will punish severely. I welcome the Court of Appeal’s decision to increase the sentences of the two boys, resulting in their detention.

No one should have to endure what the victims went through, and I commend their bravery in coming forward and campaigning for justice. This government will continue to do everything it can to tackle violence against women and girls.

On the 21 May 2026 at Southampton Crown Court:
- One 15-year-old boy was sentenced to a three-year Youth Rehabilitation Order, a ten-year restraining order, and deprivation of his phone, for two counts of rape and two counts of taking indecent images of children.
- One 15-year-old boy was sentenced to a three-year Youth Rehabilitation Order and a ten-year restraining order, for six counts of rape and four counts of taking and indecent images of children.
- One 14-year-old boy was sentenced to an eighteen-month Youth Rehabilitation Order and a ten-year restraining order for two counts of rape and one count of taking indecent images of children.
On the 2 July 2026, two offenders’ sentences were increased to four years Detention and Training Order with whole life restraining order. The third offender’s sentence was left unchanged.
04/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Stronger tourism ties between UK and Greece under new Memorandum of Understanding [July 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 2 July 2026.

UK and Greek tourism ministers meet in London to sign tourism cooperation agreement.
- New commitment to promote investment opportunities, entrepreneurship and vocational training and cooperate on innovation and sustainability
- Focus on special interest tourism, including Film, Culture, Gastronomy and Rural Tourism, working together to diversify both countries’ offerings and ensure holidaymakers can make the most of their trips
British holidaymakers travelling to Greece will benefit from a new Memorandum of Understanding, which has now been signed between the UK and Greece. The new agreement will strengthen cooperation from both countries on tourism, committing to work together on promotion, investment, innovation and sustainability across their respective sectors.

Both countries will seek to boost entrepreneurship in the tourism sector, and will promote cooperation, exchange of information and practical experience in digitalisation and innovation in travel and tourism technologies, as well as in the field of tourism education and vocational training.

Around five million Brits choose to holiday in Greece each year, while the number of Greeks travelling to visit the UK has grown year-on-year since the Coronavirus Pandemic.

This milestone builds on the strong tourism relationship between the two countries, marking the first time a cooperation agreement in the field of tourism has been signed between the two countries.

Running for an initial five-year period, the MoU covers eight main areas of cooperation, including institutional collaboration, tourism promotion, sustainability, investment, digitalisation and vocational training, ensuring that British holidaymakers are able to enjoy and make the most of Greece’s tourism offer.

It will see greater cooperation between Greece and the UK in the areas of investment opportunities and the holding of fairs, exhibitions, seminars and other tourism promotion events in both countries.

There is a commitment for an exchange of information and know-how relating to tourism policy and legislation, visitors’ satisfaction within each country, research and developments in the global tourism market and new tourism products and services.

There is also an emphasis on special interest tourism – film, culture, luxury shopping, gastronomy and wine as well as rural, mountain and hiking tourism.

Best practice around sustainable tourism – aimed at minimising the environmental impact of tourists in the respective countries – will also be shared.

The MoU highlights the government’s commitment to strengthening the UK’s relationship with EU member states while also growing the UK’s own visitor economy. Plans for this will be set out in an upcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy.

Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock said:

Both Greece and the UK share a rich history, stunning landscapes and amazing coastlines which are enjoyed by millions of visitors each year.

This agreement will strengthen our cooperation and support sustainable growth across both our tourism sectors. By working together, we can help those who work around the clock to provide a great experience to the millions that travel between our countries every year.

Greek holidaymakers have always been welcome in the UK and we look forward to welcoming many more in the years ahead.

Greek Minister of Tourism Olga Kefalogianni said:

The United Kingdom remains Greece’s leading tourism market. Visitor flows continue to grow – a testament to the deep friendship between our two countries.

Today’s Memorandum of Understanding marks an important step in deepening our strategic partnership in tourism. It establishes a modern framework for cooperation that goes beyond promotion to encompass sustainability, innovation, investment, tourism education, and shared expertise.

This is an investment in the future of both our tourism sectors that opens new opportunities for businesses, destinations, and travellers alike.
04/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Report by OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre – UK statement to the OSCE [July 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 July 2026.

Ambassador Holland thanks the Director of the OSCE’s Conflict Prevention Centre for the institution’s work across the region, which remains crucial at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, with Russia’s malign activities a key factor.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

Director, Dear Kate, thank you for your report and for your leadership of the Conflict Prevention Centre in what you rightly describe as a highly challenging operating environment. Please also pass on our thanks to your hard-working and brilliant team.

As your report makes clear, the context in which the CPC operates is marked by heightened geopolitical tensions and increasing polarisation. At the heart of this challenge lies Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and its continued hybrid activity across the OSCE region. These actions fundamentally undermine our shared security and reinforce the importance of strong and effective conflict prevention tools.

The Russian Federation has a long track record of establishing frozen conflicts on its periphery which it uses as tools to manipulate and to control. Georgia has been under hybrid attack from Russia since the 2008 war which saw 20% of Georgian territory effectively annexed. We reaffirm our full support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We call on Russia to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, and rebuild the trust that underpins the OSCE and our common security.

Dear Kate, against this backdrop, your report clearly demonstrates the central role of the CPC, its impact across the region, and the breadth of its reach. The United Kingdom places particular value on its core functions: providing early warning and situational awareness; delivering timely, fact-based reporting; facilitating dialogue and mediation; and maintaining strong connections between the Secretariat, participating States, and field operations.

We are grateful in particular for the CPC’s role in coordinating the Support Programme for Ukraine. This work is vital in helping Ukraine to address the consequences of Russia’s aggression and in strengthening resilience across civilian institutions. And in this context, I am pleased to announce a further UK contribution of about half a million Euros to support this programme.

We also note the CPC’s continued engagement across key regions. Its support to mediation and dialogue processes – including the Transdniestrian Settlement Process and the Geneva International Discussions – underlines the enduring importance of sustained attention to Moldova and the South Caucasus. The CPC’s ability to connect field insight, analysis, and dialogue facilitation remains a critical asset.

The CPC plays a pivotal role, but, like the organisation as a whole, does not always get the recognition it deserves, though I note your great work on digitalisation from your presentation. I would welcome your thoughts, Director, on whether there is scope to increase the Centre’s visibility?

Director, we reiterate our strong support for your mandate and for the role of Director CPC. Looking ahead, we note ongoing discussions on the structure and resourcing of the Secretariat and we stand ready – alongside other participating States – to work in partnership with you and with the Secretary General on the future structure and focus of the CPC. Your report rightly highlights the need to ensure that the Centre remains flexible, responsive, and adequately resourced to meet evolving challenges. And we strongly agree with that.

Mr Chair, in an increasingly contested security environment, the CPC’s ability to link early warning with action, and policy with implementation, remains essential. It is our shared responsibility to ensure that this capability is preserved and strengthened.

I thank you.

04/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2026: Joint statement to the OSCE [July 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 July 2026.

Denmark, on behalf of the UK and 38 other countries, reaffirm commitment to the absolute prohibition of torture, condemning its continued use across the OSCE region, including by Russia and Belarus.

Thank you, Mr. Chair,

I have the honour of delivering this statement on behalf of the following 40 participating states: Albania, Andorra, Bosnia Herzegovina, Canada, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the European Union and its Member States, including my own country, Denmark.

The International Day in Support of Victims of Torture provides us with an opportunity to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to prevent and eradicate torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The prohibition of torture under international law is absolute and unconditional.

Civil society organisations, human rights defenders, media and international bodies have all reported the use of torture by a number of participating States. There can be no doubt that torture is a grave assault on human dignity. Yet worryingly, such acts continue to be perpetrated in the OSCE region.

Such practices stand in stark contrast to the spirit of the Helsinki Final Act and to the human rights commitments that all participating States have undertaken since.

Various international mechanisms, including the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, the OSCE Moscow Mechanism, and ODIHR report that members of Russia’s forces have committed widespread and systematic acts of torture and ill-treatment against prisoners of war and civilians.

Staggering accounts from Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees describe torture and ill-treatment experienced during detention by Russian authorities clearly indicating patterns of systemic abuse.

In addition, the lack of Russian cooperation with independent international monitoring mechanisms is alarming. Constrained access to places of detention and external verification denies redress for the victims. This is a continuation of the abuse.

In Belarus, the UN Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in 2026 documented widespread and systematic torture and ill-treatment. This includes beatings, electric shocks, forced psychiatric treatment, sexual violence, and inhumane detention conditions.

We condemn these gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the strongest possible terms. We regret the decision of the Russian Federation to withdraw from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (ECPT) and urge them to reconsider before the withdrawal becomes effective by November this year.

We recall the commitments by all participating States undertaken in the 2020 Tirana Ministerial Council Decision on the Prevention and Eradication of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and call for their full implementation throughout the OSCE region.

These commitments are unequivocal: no exceptional circumstances, whether armed conflict, security concerns or states of emergency, can ever justify torture. We welcome the Swiss Chairpersonship’s important work developing a Roadmap on the Prevention and Eradication of Torture in the OSCE region.

Mr. Chair,

Torture does not end when the act itself ends. It leaves victims and survivors with deep, long-lasting trauma, affecting them both physically and psychologically. And its impact extends to families, communities, and societies as a whole.

Fighting torture and ensuring accountability requires a joint effort, grounded in a victim- and survivor-centred approach. Victims and survivors must have access to effective remedies, including justice, redress and rehabilitation.

This includes ensuring access to appropriate medical, psychological and social support, particularly for victims of sexualized torture, conflict-related sexual violence and other forms of gender-based abuse.

We welcome the survivor-centred approach reflected in the Charter of Rights of Victims and Survivors of Torture as presented by the UN Special Rapporteur on torture. Independent and impartial efforts to document, investigate and prosecute such violations remain essential. The relevant OSCE,

UN and other international accountability mechanisms play an important role in this regard. To this end we recognize the important, autonomous mandate of ODIHR and their valuable contributions towards efforts to combat torture and uphold human rights across the OSCE region.

We urge the participating States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the UN Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) as well as its Optional Protocol (OPCAT)

Mr. Chair,

We as participating States must continue to advance our efforts. And in these efforts, the needs of victims and survivors have to come first.

We further encourage investigation and documentation of allegations of torture and other ill-treatment, including sexual violence, to align with the “Méndez Principles” that outline Principles on Effective Interviewing for Investigations and Information Gathering.

We urge all participating States to use all appropriate measures to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment and to apply international standards such as the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, the UN Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the so-called Bangkok Rules), the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the so-called Beijing Rules) and the UN Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty.

Mr. Chair,

In closing, we jointly reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the absolute prohibition of torture and to strengthening our efforts to eradicate its use across the OSCE region. We owe that to the people of our region. I thank you.

04/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : UK steps up support for Venezuela following devastating earthquakes [July 2026]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 July 2026.

The UK is scaling up its humanitarian response to Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes on 24 June.
- UK deploys Emergency Medical Team and field hospital to earthquake-affected areas
- UK field hospital to deliver life-saving primary healthcare, including maternal and paediatric services, treating up to 100 patients a day
- UK has matched £2 million in donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal to support urgent humanitarian relief in Venezuela
The UK is scaling up its humanitarian response to Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes on 24 June, mobilising an additional £3.8 million in emergency funding – on top of £2 million announced last week – to support life-saving efforts and provide urgent humanitarian assistance.

The UK has matched £ for £ donations from the British public to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal to the value of £2 million, helping trusted UK charities reach those most in need with food, shelter and essential supplies.

Alongside this, the UK is deploying its Emergency Medical Team (UK EMT) to deliver lifesaving healthcare to communities devastated by the two powerful earthquakes. Following an invitation from the Venezuelan Ministry of Health, the team will establish a fully equipped field hospital in one of the worst-affected areas.

Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean Chris Elmore said:

The scale of destruction caused by these earthquakes is devastating, and the UK is stepping up support for the people of Venezuela.

Alongside our deployment of specialist search and rescue teams and emergency humanitarian funding, we have matched £2 million in public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal and deploying the UK Emergency Medical Team and field hospital, helping deliver life-saving healthcare and support to communities hit hardest by this disaster.

The UK stands with those affected and remains committed to helping save lives and supporting recovery in the weeks ahead.

Staffed by a highly skilled and trained clinical team, the UK EMT will deliver emergency primary healthcare to help relieve pressure on overwhelmed local health services. The UK field hospital is fully self-sufficient and will deploy with its own infrastructure, medicines and supplies, with capacity to treat up to 100 patients per day on an outpatient basis.

The hospital will focus on urgent primary healthcare needs, including chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart conditions that require continuous care. The team will also be treating minor injuries, stabilising patients and providing rehabilitation support, whilst also delivering vital maternal, newborn and child healthcare services.

To address critical gaps in local capacity, the field hospital will include a 20-bed ward providing short-stay inpatient care, alongside basic emergency maternal and newborn care to manage common complications and support safe deliveries.

The deployment follows a rapid UK assessment which found that hospitals in affected areas are overwhelmed and that access to essential healthcare, particularly primary and maternal care, has been severely disrupted.

Background
- the British Government’s UK Emergency Medical Team is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and delivered by UK-Med, a Manchester-based humanitarian medical charity
- the UK EMT brings experience from responding to major global emergencies, including the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria and the conflict in Gaza, and will support local health services through the critical early phase of the response
04/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Government apologises for historic forced adoption practices [July 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Education on 2 July 2026.

Apology comes with £4 million package of support which includes easier access to adoption records.

People affected by the injustice of forced adoption have today received the formal apology they deserve, as the government acknowledged the role of the state in the appalling practice and unveiled a package of practical support worth £4 million over three years.

The Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, delivered the apology in Parliament as campaigners watched on, ahead of a reception for them in Westminster.

In a speech, the Prime Minister reflected on the harm caused to an estimated 185,000 mothers, adopted people and their wider families by practices that took place primarily between 1949 and 1976.

The apology recognises that many women were denied genuine choice, made to feel ashamed or unworthy, and that children were taken from their birth families, their identity and their history. Fathers and wider families were also affected, with harm lasting across lifetimes and, in some cases, generations.

The £4 million support fund will go towards helping people access their adoption records via the Coram BAAF charity, fund intermediary services like Family Connect that helps people reconnect with family members, and research and testimonial projects to document the long-term impact on people’s lives.

Speaking directly to campaigners watching from the House gallery, the Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said:

The shame is not yours. The shame was never yours. The shame is ours.

And I say that on behalf of the whole country, I say it to every single person impacted, we are deeply and profoundly sorry.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

The pain carried by mothers, adopted children and their families who suffered this appalling injustice is unimaginable. They were cruelly denied irreplaceable moments, shared experiences and relationships which should have been theirs, and were made to feel ashamed.

Today, on behalf of the British state, we say with one voice: this was wrong, and we are sorry. An apology cannot undo what happened, but it can be the start of real change, alongside providing the practical action, care and support that people need.

Governments funded, enabled and relied on systems that were not consistently or effectively overseen. In some cases, records were lost, altered, or not made fully accessible to those seeking answers. The state did not do enough to protect mothers, children and families and it failed to prevent harm from continuing. It bears responsibility for the systems it funded and legitimised, which enabled these practices to take place.

The Government recognises that an apology alone is not enough. Alongside today’s statement, ministers are setting out practical steps to improve support for those affected, including:
- improving access to adoption records;
- expanding services which support family reconnection;
- working with NHS England to improve access to appropriate health support, including with mental health challenges;
- developing peer support;
- strengthening awareness across public services;
- establishing a lived experience reference group to review progress; and
- commissioning a testimonials project to capture the stories of those with experience of historical forced adoption.
To ensure that lessons are learned and continue to make improvements, the government will also work to gather data on how the support announced today is working over time, keeping the need for further research under review.

This package reflects what those affected have said matters most: being able to understand their past, access records, reconnect with family where possible and receive support that recognises what they have lived through.

The apology relates to historical adoption practices in England. Scotland and Wales have each issued their own formal apologies, which the UK Government supports, while in Northern Ireland work is underway to establish a statutory public inquiry into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses, led by the Northern Ireland Executive.

The Government recognises that some people’s experiences extend beyond the 1949 to 1976 period, and that it is deeply upsetting to hear examples where coercive practices continued. Today’s adoption system is fundamentally different, with strong legal safeguards, clear consent requirements and independent judicial oversight.
04/07/2026
Keir Starmer – 2026 Statement on Historic Forced Adoption

The statement made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, in the House of Commons on 2 July 2026.

Thank you Mr Speaker. This morning in Downing Street, I met some of the mothers and adult adoptees harmed by historic adoption practices in England.

They are here with us in the gallery today and I had the chance to talk with them privately.

They are the most remarkable women, and I know the whole House will want to join me in paying tribute to the extraordinary courage with which they have shared their harrowing testimonies and fought for the truth, time and again.

I have to confess, as I said to them this morning, that I found it difficult to read the testimonies and to hear their stories. I found it particularly hard as a dad.

How much harder it must have been for them to go through that, to set out their testimonies, and tell their stories over and over again.

As they said to me this morning, something that is so intensely private, having to be public and the courage and resilience they have shown – and others alongside them – is absolutely incredible and I want to mark that.

Mr Speaker, what happened to them – and to tens of thousands of mothers, children and families – should never have happened.

It is a stain on our history.

Mothers – many young, vulnerable, and without support – were coerced, bullied or misled into feeling they had no choice but to have their children taken from them. What a thing to do.

And Mr Speaker, these were not isolated or accidental acts.

They were practices embedded within systems across local authorities, across voluntary and faith-based institutions, and in health and social care services, including parts of what is now the NHS.

All institutions that operated with power over people’s lives, yet they did so without compassion, without consent, and without dignity or proper safeguards.

Mr Speaker, these practices were particularly prevalent between 1949 and 1976 but also extended beyond those years.

In some cases, women, including those placed in Mother and Baby Homes and other institutional settings, were cut off from their families, relationships, education and employment and subjected to harsh and isolated conditions.

Some experienced treatment that amounted to exploitation and abuse.

Mr Speaker, many were made to feel ashamed – and that came through very, very powerfully in the discussions I had this morning – silenced, and unworthy of care or dignity.

Children grew up believing they were unwanted.

Young mothers were told they were immoral – and that their babies were better off without them.

And again, as they told me this morning, that lasts a lifetime and has a huge impact.

Ann Lloyd Keen, here in the gallery and of course formerly of this House.

Described to the Education Committee how she was stitched without anaesthetic and told – and I quote – that she was told: “You will remember the pain, because you’ve been a bad girl”

Mr Speaker, many of those harmed in this way feel a gut-wrenching sense of shame.

Ann and others have said that stayed with her – and that she still feels it today.

And I know that this apology will not be able to lift that completely, it will help a little I hope, but it won’t lift it completely.

Mr Speaker, today I say to Ann, to everyone here in the gallery with us and to all those impacted and affected wherever they are in the country – and there are many, many thousands of them, including some who are have still been unable to speak about what happened to them to this day.

And I hope this statement and this apology perhaps gives some of them the confidence to speak about what happened to them because it will help in a small way.

But I say this.

The shame is not yours. The shame was never yours. The shame is ours.

And I say that on behalf of the whole country, I say it to every single person impacted, we are deeply and profoundly sorry.

To the mothers who were told they were unfit who were prevented from caring for the children they desperately wanted to help and to keep and who have carried this loss for decades.

To those who were not given the information they needed to provide informed consent, who faced pressure or coercion, and who experienced practices that were unethical.

To the sons and daughters, the children who are now adults, who through pressure and coercion within these systems, were taken from their families and denied their identity, their history, and sometimes their safety.

To those who grew up believing they were unwanted, some of whom were even told directly that they were second class.

To those who have carried a burden of loss, confusion and stigma, or who experienced neglect, and abuse, without the protection or oversight that should have been their right.

To those who have experienced lifelong uncertainty, loss, or questions around identity and belonging, or whose mental and physical health, relationships, and sense of self across their lives has been affected.

To the fathers who were denied a voice, excluded from decisions, or separated from their children.

To the siblings, grandparents, partners, extended families, and future generations who have lived with the consequences of these practices.

To those who experienced harm from these practices, even while being brought up in loving homes, by their adoptive parents.

To those who were adopted across borders or cultures who lost connections to their heritage, racial and personal identity.

And to those from ethnic minority backgrounds who experienced racism or were treated differently within these systems and who as a group were less likely to be adopted or to grow up in stable family homes.

Mr Speaker I am struck by the words of Debbie Iromlou who I met this morning. She says she was “raised with racist views towards her own biological family.”

Mr Speaker, how do you even begin to comprehend that?

To each and every one of those affected, we say a deep and heartfelt sorry.

And Mr Speaker, let me be clear and unequivocal. These harms were compounded by the actions and failures of the State.

Governments funded, enabled and relied upon systems that were not consistently or effectively overseen.

The State did not prevent harm from continuing.

The State bears responsibility for the systems it funded and legitimised, which enabled these practices to occur.

The State did not do enough to protect mothers, children and families from harm.

And for this systemic failure, I am truly sorry.

Mr Speaker, many of those affected have suffered a further injustice.

They’ve had to fight for the basic human right to know their own history.

As Sally Ells has put it – “We are treated as if the information about our own lives, does not belong to us”

Debbie was told her birth mother’s life would be in danger if she tried to search for her. Barriers put in place at every twist and turn.

Records have in some cases been lost, altered, or not made fully accessible to those seeking answers.

And the whole process is painfully slow – traumatic and dehumanising all over again.

Mr Speaker we do say sorry and we mean it, but sorry is not enough.

This must also be the start of real change.

Working with those affected and their families to improve access to records.

And to provide the care and support that people need.

So today I can tell the House.

We will fund the development of a national online resource, creating a single access point to locate records wherever they might be held across the country.

We will consult on requiring existing records to be retained for 100 years, so they remain available across the lifetime of those affected.

And my Rt Hon Friend the Education Secretary is today writing to local authorities, Regional Adoption Agencies and Voluntary Adoption Agencies, setting out the expectation that requests for records should be responded to swiftly and with compassion and consistency.

We will expand access to funded intermediary services with particular focus on pre-1976 cases where access to support is currently most limited.

We will establish national virtual peer-led support groups for mothers and adopted adults to improve access to ongoing, trauma-informed support across the country.

And we will work with NHS England to ensure those affected are taken seriously when they seek help.

This includes new support for clinicians to better understand the impact of forced adoption and respond appropriately in their care.

The NHS England will also explore how those who wish to do so can have their experience of forced adoption appropriately recorded in their health record.

And finally, to further recognise those affected, and ensure we learn the lessons of the past, we will also commission a testimonials project to capture the stories of those with experience of historic forced adoption practices.

Through all of this and more, we will continue to meet regularly with those with lived experience, guided by them to get this support right, to learn from our past – and ensure that nothing like this can ever happen in this country again.

Finally, Mr Speaker, this national apology reflects and builds on the approaches taken by Scotland and Wales, whose devolved governments have also issued apologies for these practices which we fully endorse.

And I welcome the process underway in Northern Ireland to establish a Statutory Public Inquiry into Mother and Baby Institutions, Madgalene Laundries and Workhouses.

I also want to thank the Joint Committee on Human Rights and the Education Select Committee for all they have done to shine a light on this injustice.

But most of all, I want to thank those who have campaigned for so long to have the truth recognised, including those who are no longer with us to hear this apology they fought for.

It should never have happened.

And you should not have had to fight for this day to come.

But today, finally, I do say on behalf of the State – and on behalf of the nation as a whole –

We see you. We hear you. And we are truly sorry.

And I commend this statement to the House.

04/07/2026