The scheme, which authorities says will curb undocumented immigration, has drawn criticism from throughout the political spectrum.
The UK has introduced plans to introduce a digital ID scheme in a bid to curb undocumented immigration.
Introduced by the federal government on Friday, the scheme will see the digital ID of British residents and residents held on telephones. The federal government mentioned there will probably be no requirement for people to hold their ID or be requested to supply it, however that it is going to be “necessary” for staff.
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The UK has lengthy resisted the concept of Id playing cards, which have been abolished after World Battle II, however Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour authorities is below stress to deal with immigration that populist forces declare is uncontrolled.
The free digital ID would come with an individual’s title, date of delivery, and picture, in addition to info on their nationality and residency standing.
It is going to be “necessary as a way of proving your proper to work”, a authorities assertion mentioned.
“This may cease these with no proper to be right here from with the ability to discover work, curbing their prospect of incomes cash, one of many key ‘pull components’ for individuals who come to the UK illegally,” it added.
The digital ID will even make it easier to use for providers like driving licences, childcare and welfare, whereas streamlining entry to tax data, the assertion mentioned.
“Digital ID is a gigantic alternative for the UK… It is going to additionally provide peculiar residents numerous advantages,” Starmer mentioned. “It is going to make it harder to work illegally on this nation, making our borders safer.”
‘Digitally excluded’
The plans, which the federal government had beforehand mentioned it was contemplating, drew criticism from throughout the political spectrum.
The centrist Liberal Democrats mentioned they might not assist necessary digital ID the place persons are “compelled to show over their personal information simply to go about their every day lives”.
Liberal Democrats can not assist necessary digital IDs. Individuals should not be criminalised simply because they do not wish to hand over their personal information. pic.twitter.com/mEzV7s9vUf
— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) September 25, 2025
Kemi Badenoch, chief of the opposition Conservative Get together, wrote on X that her get together “will oppose any push by this organisation or the federal government to impose necessary ID playing cards on law-abiding residents”.
“We won’t assist any system that’s necessary for British folks or excludes these of us who select to not use it from any of the rights of our citizenship,” she added.
The far-right Reform UK get together referred to as the plans a “cynical ploy” designed to “idiot” voters into pondering one thing is being executed about immigration.
It additionally sought to faucet into longstanding British suspicions concerning nationwide ID schemes, that are widespread in most of Europe.
“It is going to make no distinction to unlawful immigration, however it is going to be used to manage and penalise the remainder of us,” mentioned Reform chief Nigel Farage.
I’m firmly against @Keir_Starmer’s digital ID playing cards.
It is going to make no distinction to unlawful immigration, however it is going to be used to manage and penalise the remainder of us.
The state ought to by no means have this a lot energy.
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) September 25, 2025
Within the 2000s, the Labour Get together, then led by Tony Blair, tried to introduce an id card, however the plan was ultimately dropped by Blair’s successor, Gordon Brown, after opposition referred to as it an infringement of civil liberties.
Nevertheless, with populist narratives concerning immigration now rife, the federal government seems to be betting that such considerations will override the longstanding opposition.
The timing of the announcement seems no coincidence, coming as Labour prepares to carry its annual convention.
A petition demanding that ID playing cards not be launched had collected 575,000 signatures by early Friday, however latest polling suggests majority assist for the transfer.
