The Labour government is facing a significant public backlash after confirming plans to introduce digital ID cards for all individuals aged 16 and over before the next election, with a consultation on extending the scheme to children as young as 13. The move has been condemned by civil liberties groups and opposition MPs as 'sinister' and a step towards a surveillance state.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, in a formal response to a petition signed by nearly three million people, stated that the government would proceed with the digital ID scheme, dismissing calls to halt it. The response also indicated that the cards, dubbed 'Brit Cards', could eventually be required to access a wide range of public services, describing the system as a 'boarding pass to government'.
Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, accused Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of misleading the public, stating that the scheme was 'fast becoming a digital permit required to live our everyday lives'. She warned that enrolling children into a biometric system was 'sinister, unjustified and prompts the chilling question of just what he thinks the ID will be used for in the future'.
Conservative MP Greg Smith echoed these concerns, warning that the plans had 'sinister implications for the future' and raised questions about potential uses, such as requiring children to produce ID to attend school. He argued that the scheme would lead to 'big state, intrusive government' while failing to address illegal immigration.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer defended the policy during a press conference in Mumbai, stating that the government could not 'shirk' from tackling illegal immigration and that digital ID would bring 'great benefits' by speeding up access to public services. He emphasised that the scheme was a manifesto commitment to deal with illegal working.
The government's response insists that failure to have a digital ID card will not be a criminal offence and that police will not be able to demand its production. However, critics remain unconvinced, and the petition against the scheme is set to be debated by MPs in the coming weeks.
