Keir Starmer is under threat of a Labour revolt over the introduction of compulsory digital ID cards, new reports have suggested.
The Prime Minister announced his backing for the much-disputed policy shortly before the opening day of the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.
Since the policy was confirmed, critics have criticised the Government, describing the policy as giving the state “unprecedented power to spy on ordinary people”.
New reports reveal that Downing Street has announced a series of “outreach” meetings with MPs on a post-conference online call on Tuesday in an attempt to win over support.
One Labour MP told HuffPost UK: “Overtures from them won’t shift people. The anti-digital ID brigade will be unswayed, and those who buy the argument think No10′s reverse Midas touch has tainted it for another five years.”
They added: “Loads of people feel they’ve been made mugs of after being told by No10 there were no plans for them or that they would be non-compulsory if they ever were introduced.”
Another MP added: “The breadth of anger at the mishandling of this is truly impressive.”
A third said: “We can’t even launch a policy properly.”
Keir Starmer is under threat of a Labour revolt over the introduction of compulsory digital ID cards, new reports have suggested
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One MP described Downing Street’s attempts to schedule meetings to win over unhappy backbenchers as “embarrassing”.
They said: “There is massive unhappiness about it.”
A petition calling for the Government to reverse its policy has been signed by more than 2.8 million people.
The Prime Minister argued that digital IDs would be a vital tool in the Government’s attempts to tackle illegal immigration, as the app-based system would be required to be provided to employers when starting a new job.
A petition calling for the Government to reverse its policy has been signed by more than 2.8 million people
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Sir Keir described the policy as an enormous opportunity for the UK.
He said: “It will make it tougher to work illegally in this country, making our borders more secure. And it will also offer ordinary citizens countless benefits, like being able to prove your identity to access key services swiftly – rather than hunting around for an old utility bill.”
The Tories, Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats have strongly opposed it over concerns about liberty, privacy, and Government overreach.
Conservative Party Leader, Kemi Badenoch, described the policy as a “desperate gimmick” that will not address illegal migration.
Nigel Farage criticised Keir Starmer’s digital ID plan before warning ‘the state should never have this much power’
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She warned that mandating its use is a serious step that needs a proper national debate.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage argues that digital IDs will give the state “unprecedented power to spy on ordinary people”.
By the end of the current parliament, the digital ID will become mandatory for right-to-work checks for all UK citizens and legal residents.
GB News has approached No10 for a comment.