Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has rejected claims that his government's change of plan over digital ID cards represents another U-turn, after the Conservatives accused him of having 'no sense of direction'. The controversy erupted when it emerged that a key plank of the digital ID scheme—making a specific digital ID card mandatory for proving the right to work—has been dropped. Instead, other digital forms such as e-passports or e-visas will be accepted.
Downing Street described the change as a 'technical tweak', but critics note it removes the only compulsory element of the scheme, significantly watering down its impact. The decision follows a series of other policy reversals, including on inheritance tax for farms and business rates for pubs.
Speaking to ITV on Wednesday, Starmer insisted the core principle remains: 'You will be checked. Those checks will be digital. And they will be mandatory. What we’re now doing is consulting on exactly what that might look like.' He denied it was a U-turn, saying the goal of stopping illegal working is the overriding consideration.
At Prime Minister's Questions, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch mocked Starmer, saying: 'Can I welcome the prime minister’s latest U-turn? I feel like I say that every week. He is blowing around like a plastic bag in the wind, no sense of direction whatsoever.' Chancellor Rachel Reeves played down the change, telling BBC Breakfast that as long as people must show some form of digital ID to work, 'we’re pretty relaxed about what form that takes.'
Business Secretary Peter Kyle confirmed that by 2029, digital-only checks for work eligibility will be in place, linking biometric data to identity for instant verification. He added that the government will clarify nearer the time which other forms of ID may be accepted.
