Starmer frames digital ID as an enormous opportunity despite backlash

LONDON — Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday framed compulsory digital ID cards as an enormous opportunity for Britain, as Labour signaled the scheme would become mandatory for right-to-work checks by the end of this Parliament.

The plan, pushed by former prime minister Tony Blair and echoed by international allies including French President Emmanuel Macron, would require all working-age adults to use a digital ID to prove their identity when taking employment, according to Whitehall sources. Officials said the measure would begin with working adults and could broaden to other groups over time. Starmer argued the approach would help deter illegal work and strengthen borders while offering services that are easier to access with a digital credential.

The plan drew immediate blowback from civil liberties groups who branded the move as a "papers please" society that could be "un-British" and risk locking out older and vulnerable people from essential services. Critics warned the cost would run into billions and that the personal data of millions could be vulnerable to hackers or state-backed cyberattacks.

Nigel Farage said the plan would "make no difference to illegal immigration, but it will be used to control and penalise the rest of us. The state should never have this much power." The opposition and some Conservative figures argued the policy would empower the state more than it would curb illegal migration.

Kemi Badenoch branded the idea a "a desperate gimmick that will do nothing to stop the boats," while Tory justice spokesman Robert Jenrick said Sir Keir would "try literally anything other than fixing the root of our problems: our broken legal system that stops us deporting illegal migrants."

Analysts have warned the scheme could cost billions to develop and maintain and potentially expose millions of people to security vulnerabilities. Supporters say a robust, centralized digital ID with strong authentication would reduce fraud and speed access to key services, but opponents fear privacy breaches and exclusion of vulnerable groups.

Whitehall officials emphasize the plan is at an early stage, with a phased rollout likely and pilots before broader adoption. The policy is part of a broader push that echoes arguments long advanced by Blair and by European partners in favor of digital identity to streamline verification and enforcement. Observers note that the political fate of the proposal will hinge on how privacy safeguards, cost, and implementation are managed, as well as public trust in how personal data would be stored and used.

The debate over digital IDs comes amid a broader policy backdrop in which governments are increasingly pursuing digital credentials to reduce friction in employment and welfare systems while expanding monitoring capabilities. Proponents argue that secure digital IDs can protect against fraud and illegal work, whereas critics warn of a surveillant state and the risk of excluding vulnerable populations from essential services. The government has signaled that it intends to listen and deliver on worker security and border control, but the road ahead remains contentious as Parliament weighs the measure.'