Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing a severe backlash from within his own party following a dramatic reversal on plans for mandatory digital identity cards, with former Labour Home Secretary Lord David Blunkett delivering a stinging critique of the government's communication failure.
A Damning Indictment from Within
In a highly critical interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Wednesday 14 January 2026, Lord Blunkett expressed his profound disappointment at the policy climbdown. The peer, who first proposed ID cards back in 2002 under Tony Blair's administration, stated he was "disappointed but not surprised" by the U-turn.
He laid the blame squarely at the feet of the Prime Minister and his team, arguing the scheme was doomed because the government "failed to annunciate why this policy mattered". Blunkett elaborated that the original announcement lacked a supporting narrative, detailed implementation plans, or a coherent strategy involving other ministers to champion the cause.
"When you fail to do all those things it's not surprising in the end that the thing runs into the sand," he concluded, in a damning assessment of Starmer's leadership on the issue.
From Mandatory to Voluntary: The Policy Collapse
The controversy stems from Starmer's announcement last September, where he unveiled plans for a digital ID system. Initially presented as a major tool to curb immigration, the Prime Minister stated unequivocally: "You will not be able to work in the UK if you do not have digital ID. It is as simple as that." The system was to be voluntary in most scenarios but compulsory for right-to-work checks.
However, by Tuesday night, 13 January 2026, ministers were reportedly rowing back on the compulsory element. The revised plan, expected for introduction in 2029, will now be entirely optional, with workers permitted to use other digital documents to verify their right to work.
This reversal came just hours after Health Secretary Wes Streeting told a London conference that ministers should aim to "get it right first time" – a remark that now appears deeply ironic.
Public Trust Eroded and a Growing List of Reversals
The government's U-turn follows a spectacular collapse in public support for the digital ID scheme. Polling indicated backing plummeted from 53% in June to just 31% in October, directly after Starmer's high-profile announcement. Government sources acknowledged fears that a mandatory scheme would undermine public trust and potentially trigger a revolt within the Cabinet itself.
Lord Blunkett suggested this loss of public confidence was a direct result of the government's poor advocacy, allowing opponents with "nefarious and different reasons" to successfully mobilise opinion against the policy.
This episode marks at least the ninth – and by some counts the thirteenth – major policy reversal performed by the Labour government since its victory in the 2024 general election. It follows closely on the heels of a decision to provide additional support for pubs facing steep business rate hikes, painting a picture of an administration struggling to stick to its initial policy guns.
