Campaigners condemn Starmer's digital ID claim as plan to deter Channel crossings draws backlash
Critics question feasibility as Labour outlines asylum reform; officials say digital IDs could be part of services access strategy
Campaigners condemned the government's claim that digital identification cards would stop migrants crossing the Channel, as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer pushes ahead with a broader overhaul of the asylum and immigration system. The plan, tied to efforts to reduce cross-Channel crossings, has been described by aides as being explored in recent weeks, though finer details are still being worked out, according to the Financial Times.
Pat McFadden, the secretary of state for Work and Pensions, has suggested digital ID cards could help tackle record numbers of small-boat crossings and could function as a deterrent. Critics dismissed the claim as nonsense and accused Starmer of gaslighting the public to drum up support for a proposal that may be unveiled at next week’s Labour conference.
Sources close to critics and observers cited skepticism about the policy’s effectiveness. Rebecca Vincent, of Big Brother Watch, warned that mandatory digital ID would not stop crossings and would burden law-abiding residents trying to prove their status, potentially turning Britain into a papers, please society. Gracie Bradley, of Liberty, said the proposal was likely more intrusive, insecure and discriminatory than the Labour government’s failed 2006 plan to introduce ID cards, adding that an expensive and unjustified ID scheme would threaten rights. Tony Blair’s nascent card scheme had been scrapped by the incoming Coalition government in 2010.
Conservative justice spokesman Robert Jenrick criticized the plan, arguing that asking employers to check ID would not make a blind bit of difference to illegal migration, noting that many who hire workers illegally do so knowingly.
The Financial Times reported that sources say the government is weighing giving digital IDs to all people legally entitled to reside in Britain, whether citizens or those with legal immigration status. The ID could then be used for employment verification and rental agreements, though the scope may be narrowed or revised.
A government spokesperson said Britain was committed to expanding the use of technology to make it easier for people to access services, pointing to existing systems such as e-visas and the NHS app. The spokesperson added that Britain would look at any serious proposals that would help people access public services, including digital ID.
No final decision has been made, and officials say the plan could be announced at the Labour conference next week.