Sir Keir Starmer’s Government has shut down calls to stop the introduction of Digital ID after almost 2.8 million Britons signed a petition opposing the Prime Minister’s proposal.
Sir Keir, who confirmed to GB News that the Government is pushing ahead with introducing mandatory Digital ID cards, believes the plan will help stop illegal migrants working in the black economy.
The scheme, which would see the UK follow in the footsteps of Estonia, would result in all UK citizens and legal residents being required to hold a free national ID card when aged 16 or over.
Critics immediately warned that Digital ID brings the risk of hacking, with others warning about Britain becoming a “dystopian nightmare”.
A petition against Digital ID quickly gathered more signatures following Sir Keir’s announcement last Friday.
More than 2.7 million Britons signed the petition yesterday, including more than 3,000 in the Prime Minister’s own seat of Holborn & St Pancras.
Polling by More in Common has also shown strong opposition to Digital ID.
After the polling firm found plus 35 per cent net support in June, the figure tumbled to -14 per cent after the Prime Minister’s announcement.
The Government has since made clear that the primary ambition of introducing Digital ID is to tackle illegal migration.
In a response issued on October 2, the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology said: “The Government has announced plans to introduce a Digital ID system which is fit for the needs of modern Britain.
Sir Keir Starmer is planning to push ahead with introducing Digital ID
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REUTERS“We are committed to making people’s everyday lives easier and more secure, to putting more control in their hands (including over their own data), and to driving growth through harnessing digital technology.
“We also want to learn from countries which have digitised Government services for the benefit of their citizens, in line with our manifesto commitment to modernise Government.
“Currently, when UK citizens and residents use public services, start a new job, or, for example, buy alcohol, they often need to present an assortment of physical documents to prove who they are or things about themselves.
“This is both bureaucratic for the individual and creates space for abuse and fraud.
The petition received a response on October 2
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PETITIONS
“This includes known issues with illegal working and modern slavery, while the fragmented approach and multiple systems across Government make it difficult for people to access vital services.
“Further, there are too many people who are excluded, like the one-in=10 UK adults who don’t have a physical photo ID, so can struggle to prove who they are and access the products and services they are entitled to.
“To tackle these interlinked issues, we will introduce a new national digital ID.
“This is not a card but a new digital identity that will be available for free to all UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over (although we will consider through consultation if this should be age 13 and over).
“Over time, people will be able to use it to seamlessly access a range of public and private sector services, with the aim of making our everyday lives easier and more secure.
“It will not be compulsory to obtain a digital ID but it will be mandatory for some applications.
“For example, the new digital ID will build on GOV.UK One Login and the GOV.UK Wallet to drive the transformation of public services.
“Over time, this system will allow people to access government services – such as benefits or tax records – without needing to remember multiple logins or provide physical documents.
“It will significantly streamline interactions with the state, saving time and reducing frustrating paperwork, while also helping to create opportunities for more joined up government services.
Keir Starmer confirmed he still supports the Digital ID plan at Labour Party Conference
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PA“International examples show how beneficial this can be. For instance, Estonia’s system reportedly saves each citizen hours every month by streamlining unnecessary bureaucracy, and the move to becoming a digital society has saved taxpayer money.
“By the end of this Parliament, employers will have to check the new digital ID when conducting a ‘right to work’ check.
“This will help combat criminal gangs who promise access to the UK labour market in order to profit from dangerous and illegal channel crossings.
“It will create a fairer system between UK citizens and legal residents, crack down on forged documents, and streamline the process for employers, driving up compliance.
“Further, it will create business information showing where employers are conducting checks, so driving more targeted action against non-compliant employers.
Protesters assembled in Liverpool against the PM’s digital ID plan
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GB NEWS
“For clarity, it will not be a criminal offence to not hold a digital ID and police will not be able to demand to see a digital ID as part of a “stop and search.”
“Privacy and security will also be central to the digital ID programme. We will follow data protection law and best practice in creating a system which people can rightly put their trust in.
“People in the UK already know and trust digital credentials held in their phone wallets to use in their everyday lives, from paying for things to storing boarding passes.
“The new system will be built on similar technology and be your boarding pass to government. Digitally checkable digital credentials are more secure than physical documents which can be lost, copied or forged, and often mean sharing more information than just what is necessary for a given transaction.
“The new system will be designed in accordance with the highest security standards to protect against a comprehensive range of threats, including cyber-attacks.
“We will launch a public consultation in the coming weeks and work closely with employers, trade unions, civil society groups and other stakeholders, to co-design the scheme and ensure it is as secure and inclusive as possible.
“Following consultation, we will seek to bring forward legislation to underpin this system.”