Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to announce plans for mandatory digital ID cards for all working adults, a move that is expected to spark a debate over civil liberties. The proposal, dubbed the 'Brit card', aims to tackle illegal immigration by ensuring only those with the right to work can do so in the UK.
The plans will be outlined on Friday at a conference on progressive politics, where Starmer will address voter concerns around immigration. The initiative would require new legislation and has already drawn opposition from privacy campaigners, but Downing Street believes the national mood has shifted since similar plans were abandoned under Tony Blair in the 2000s.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is a supporter of the scheme, having previously expressed a long-term personal view in favour of ID cards. Starmer has argued that digital IDs could make Britain less attractive to illegal migrants, echoing claims from France that the lack of official cards acts as a 'pull factor'.
The technology is expected to be built on the government's existing 'One Login' infrastructure, which currently allows citizens to access around 50 government services. The proposed system would involve a free, secure digital ID stored on a smartphone via a gov.uk Wallet app, rebranded as the Brit Card app, which could be verified by employers, immigration authorities, banks, and landlords.
Starmer will also use his speech to criticise the far right, describing their discourse as 'poisonous' and warning against a 'violent struggle for the nation'. He will acknowledge that Labour previously 'got it wrong' on migration, but reject the 'toxic' approach of Reform UK, emphasising the need for border control while maintaining a compassionate stance.
