Findlay calls Labour's digital ID plan a distraction, label as zombie idea

LONDON — Russell Findlay, the Scottish Conservative leader, called Labour's plan for compulsory digital identity papers 'a zombie idea' and said it is a desperate bid to distract from the chaos engulfing the Labour Party. Labour has floated a national digital ID proposal as part of its broader effort to reform public services and immigration controls.

Findlay argued the policy would erode privacy, centralize power and impose unnecessary state checks. He said the idea reflects a longstanding 'state knows best' mindset commonly associated with socialist policies, and warned that even if the intent seems innocuous, such powers are ripe for misuse or abuse. 'You don’t have to have read George Orwell’s 1984 to know that such a dramatic shift in the relationship between people and the state is ripe for casual misuse or deliberate abuse,' he said in a media briefing.

The Scottish Tory leader emphasized that the plan would not alone solve illegal immigration or the country’s public-service pressures. He argued that digital IDs would fail to stop a migrant-laden inflow across the Channel, nor would they halt the growing black market in illegal labor or the way some individuals exploit legal processes to stay in the country. He noted that reputable employers already verify workers’ identities, and he questioned whether the scheme would bring tangible public gains.

'What lies behind Sir Keir’s zombie idea from the Tony Blair era ... it is simply a desperate bid to distract from the chaos engulfing the Labour party,' Findlay said. He criticized Labour’s record of broken promises, including pensioners’ winter fuel payments, and cited recent controversies around Labour leadership’s handling of internal disputes, such as the reported coup drama involving Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham. He said Labour MPs have lost confidence, and the proposed digital ID is a political distraction rather than a policy solution.

Findlay also pointed to cross-party skepticism. While he and Scottish National Party figures share concerns about the expansion of state surveillance, he noted that neither his party nor the SNP supports digital IDs as a policy direction. 'Neither of us are fans of digital IDs,' he said, though he added that Labour and SNP alike often advocate left-wing policies that he believes erode freedoms and push more power toward centralized authorities. He cited concerns about free speech, personal choices, and even dietary questions, arguing that people should be free to live their lives without excessive state meddling. 'My party is different. We proudly stand against such socialist tendencies because we believe to our core that people are best placed to make the decisions that impact them and their families,' Findlay said.

The remarks, delivered as Labour navigates a period of internal turbulence and public scrutiny, highlight the continuing debate over privacy, security and the reach of government data collection in Britain. Critics say digital ID schemes could raise costs and create a single point of failure for government IT systems, while supporters argue such IDs could streamline services and bolster border enforcement. The coming weeks will show whether Labour responds to these concerns or defends the policy as a necessary modernization of public administration.