Incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to scrap the previous government's digital ID card scheme as part of a ‘reset of priorities’ when he takes office on Monday. The plan, championed by his predecessor Keir Starmer, was intended to combat illegal working but attracted widespread criticism.
Resources earmarked for the scheme will be redirected to tackling the cost of living, Burnham's team indicated. A spokesperson said the government would put its focus ‘where people need it right now’ and that all time and resource previously allocated to the national ID scheme would go to areas such as helping with the cost of living.
The decision follows a petition against the ID cards that gathered around 3 million signatures. The Office for Budget Responsibility estimated the scheme could cost about £1.8bn, though officials rejected that figure, and no clear budget was set out by the previous government.
Starmer first announced the digital ID plan last September, describing it as a way to ‘make it tougher to work illegally’ and strengthen border security. However, opposition politicians, privacy campaigners, and civil rights groups criticised it, with some warning it could create a surveillance infrastructure.
The government had already rolled back plans earlier this year, making the IDs voluntary. The scrapping marks a significant shift in policy direction under Burnham’s leadership.
