UK plans compulsory digital ID as populist pressure over immigration rises

The scheme, which authorities says volition curb undocumented immigration, has drawn disapproval from crossed the governmental spectrum.

The United Kingdom has announced plans to present a integer ID strategy successful a bid to curb undocumented immigration.

Announced by the authorities connected Friday, the strategy volition spot the integer ID of British citizens and residents held connected phones. The authorities said determination volition beryllium nary request for individuals to transportation their ID oregon beryllium asked to nutrient it, but that it volition beryllium “mandatory” for workers.

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The UK has agelong resisted the thought of Identity cards, which were abolished aft World War II, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour authorities is nether unit to tackle migration that populist forces assertion is uncontrolled.

The escaped integer ID would see a person’s name, day of birth, and photo, arsenic good arsenic accusation connected their nationality and residency status.

It volition beryllium “mandatory arsenic a means of proving your close to work”, a authorities connection said.

“This volition halt those with nary close to beryllium present from being capable to find work, curbing their imaginable of earning money, 1 of the cardinal ‘pull factors’ for radical who travel to the UK illegally,” it added.

The integer ID volition besides marque it simpler to use for services similar driving licences, childcare and welfare, portion streamlining entree to taxation records, the connection said.

“Digital ID is an tremendous accidental for the UK… It volition besides connection mean citizens countless benefits,” Starmer said. “It volition marque it tougher to enactment illegally successful this country, making our borders much secure.”

‘Digitally excluded’

The plans, which the authorities had antecedently said it was considering, drew disapproval from crossed the governmental spectrum.

The centrist Liberal Democrats said they would not enactment mandatory integer ID wherever radical are “forced to crook implicit their backstage information conscionable to spell astir their regular lives”.

Liberal Democrats cannot enactment mandatory integer IDs. People shouldn't beryllium criminalised conscionable due to the fact that they don't privation to manus implicit their backstage data. pic.twitter.com/mEzV7s9vUf

— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) September 25, 2025

Kemi Badenoch, person of the absorption Conservative Party, wrote connected X that her enactment “will reason immoderate propulsion by this organisation oregon the authorities to enforce mandatory ID cards connected law-abiding citizens”.

“We volition not enactment immoderate strategy that is mandatory for British radical oregon excludes those of america who take not to usage it from immoderate of the rights of our citizenship,” she added.

The far-right Reform UK enactment called the plans a “cynical ploy” designed to “fool” voters into reasoning thing is being done astir immigration.

It besides sought to pat into longstanding British suspicions regarding nationalist ID schemes, which are communal successful astir of Europe.

“It volition marque nary quality to amerciable immigration, but it volition beryllium utilized to power and penalise the remainder of us,” said Reform person Nigel Farage.

I americium firmly opposed to @Keir_Starmer’s integer ID cards.

It volition marque nary quality to amerciable immigration, but it volition beryllium utilized to power and penalise the remainder of us.

The authorities should ne'er person this overmuch power.

— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) September 25, 2025

In the 2000s, the Labour Party, past led by Tony Blair, attempted to present an individuality card, but the program was yet dropped by Blair’s successor, Gordon Brown, aft absorption called it an infringement of civilian liberties.

However, with populist narratives regarding migration present rife, the authorities appears to beryllium betting that specified concerns volition override the longstanding opposition.

The timing of the announcement appears nary coincidence, coming arsenic Labour prepares to clasp its yearly conference.

A petition demanding that ID cards not beryllium introduced had collected 575,000 signatures by aboriginal Friday, but caller polling suggests bulk enactment for the move.