Labour Leader Keir Starmer Expected to Announce Digital ID Card Plans
keir Starmer is expected to announce plans for a digital ID card scheme, dubbed “BritCard,” possibly at the Labour Party conference. the proposed system aims to strengthen border controls and combat illegal working and renting practices.
The technology is highly likely to be built upon the government’s existing “One Login” infrastructure, which currently provides access to approximately 50 government services, including teacher applications and lasting power of attorney management.
According to a report outlining the plans, the “BritCard” would make it more arduous to violate regulations surrounding illegal work and rent, and would facilitate the identification and prosecution of exploitative employers and landlords. Kirsty Innes, author of the report and formerly the thinktank’s director of technology, is now a special adviser to Liz Kendall, the technology secretary. Upon the report’s publication,Innes stated that a functioning progressive society requires “meaningful borders.”
The proposal has received support from the Tony Blair Institute, with director of government innovation Alexander Iosad calling a universal digital ID “one of the most important steps” a government could take to improve public services and build citizen trust.
Though, the plans face opposition from several corners. Conservative MP David Davis, a long-time opponent of national ID cards, expressed concerns about data security, stating that if leading tech companies struggle to protect personal data, he has “little faith that Whitehall would be able to do better.”
The Liberal Democrats indicated they would not support a “mandatory digital ID” requiring citizens to surrender private data for daily life. While the Conservatives have not formally stated a position, leader Kemi Badenoch emphasized the need for a “proper national debate” before mandating such a system, suggesting the proclamation might potentially be a distraction from internal party issues.
Critics also point to potential harms based on existing digital visa schemes for migrants. Jim Killock, executive director of Open Rights Group, argued the scheme is ill-timed during a cost of living crisis and warned of the potential for a “digital surveillance infrastructure” leading to a “pre-crime state.” He cited instances of individuals facing travel disruptions, lost job offers, and homelessness due to errors within current digital ID systems.
David Rennie,a former Home Office official involved in previous ID card programs,dismissed the idea that a digital ID would effectively curb illegal migration,noting existing right-to-work verification requirements already carry significant penalties for employers.
