UK Government U-turns on mandatory digital IDs

Following significant opposition, the UK government has revised its digital ID plans, removing the requirement for the system to be mandatory for right-to-work checks. While Prime Minister Keir Starmer originally proposed the scheme as a compulsory measure to combat illegal working and secure borders, citizens will now be permitted to use alternative documentation, such as passports or e-visas.

The shift effectively eliminates the only mandatory aspect of the scheme for working-age individuals. Officials have described the move as a minor adjustment ahead of an upcoming public consultation rather than a policy reversal. The decision aims to increase public approval by addressing concerns over state control and avoiding the controversy associated with compulsory identity systems.

Despite this change, the government remains committed to digitising the identity verification process. Ministers still intend to shift away from paper-based checks to more secure digital methods to ensure public services are more efficient and inclusive. A government spokesperson confirmed that full details of the scheme will be released following the consultation. 

In a statement responding to the news, Big Brother Watch Director Silkie Carlo said: "We welcome Starmer's reported U-turn on making intrusive, expensive and unnecessary digital IDs mandatory. This is a huge success for... the millions of Brits who signed petitions to make this happen.

"The case for the government now dropping digital IDs entirely is overwhelming. Taxpayers should not be footing a £1.8bn bill for a digital ID scheme that is frankly pointless.

"The proposal to make right to work checks digital could raise similar cybersecurity, fraud and privacy risks that digital IDs carry. The devil will be in the detail but this whole digital ID debacle smacks of incompetence."

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