Gilbert’s bravery in telling her adoption story deserves our thanks - Susan Dalgety

Ms Gilbert was speaking in support of Prime Minister Starmer’s apology for the forced adoption of babies from unmarried mothers, a barbaric practice that continued until 1976.

The North and Leith MP, who was born in 1972, revealed that her birth mother had spent time in a Church of Scotland mother and baby home before she was born.

“I have no idea if my birth mother felt forced to have me adopted,” she said, adding that she was sure her adopted parents would not have wanted to adopt a baby that had been forcibly removed from her mother.

Her story struck a chord with me. Fifty years ago this week, I gave birth to my eldest son. I was 19 and single. I could all too easily have ended up in a mother and baby home, bullied into giving up my son to strangers. Luckily, my parents, even though they were disappointed that my university career had come to an abrupt end, welcomed me and my son home. A former school friend of mine was not so lucky. She was sent south to have her baby son and returned home empty handed.

There are some people who think that our elected representatives should not share details of their private life, that the public has no need to know if their MP was adopted or has been raped or has a disabled relative.

I disagree. Our politicians are only people after all, facing the same life challenges as the rest of us. I would much rather people like Tracy Gilbert were making policy than cynical hard-headed career politicians who pretend to be perfect.

So thank you Tracy for reminding us all that there was a time, not so very long ago, when women like her birth mother and me were treated as pariahs for what is the most natural thing in the world – giving birth. It took courage to tell your story in parliament and to the whole country, just as it must have taken your birth mother courage to give you up.