UK opposition split over digital ID cards as Mail on Sunday questions policy

A Mail on Sunday opinion piece published and updated Sunday argues that the Starmer government is moving toward digital identity cards for British citizens, with a claim that the policy could be announced within days as part of a broader effort to crack down on illegal entry. The column frames the move as a response to perceived failures at the border, citing leaks through Westminster channels that the government intends to launch ID cards for the public in the near term.

The piece goes on to say that such a policy would amount to a serious erosion of civil liberties. It warns that because the government cannot guard the nation’s borders, it would destroy “the freedom to be left alone by bossy authority and the freedom to be presumed innocent rather than guilty.” It also insists that previous approaches, such as “smash the gangs” and “one in, one out,” have proven ineffective, arguing that the public would bear the costs of the plan’s perceived overreach. The author calls for a national moment of silence followed by two minutes of jeering at what it calls a “useless absurdity.” The column further contends that the policy echoes past efforts by Tony Blair to implement a similar scheme, despite Blair’s own assessment of its failure and opposition among some senior figures who now dwell largely outside government circles.

In a detailed critique, the author notes that the Starmer government has, until recently, faced internal resistance to ID-card proposals within Labour. It recalls Labour’s former Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, who rejected calls from Blair to pursue ID cards, stating they were not in the party’s election manifesto. The column also suggests that Labour’s current leadership, including figures such as Shabana Mahmood, faces renewed questions about the party’s stance, arguing that Labour MPs have no mandate to support such a plan and that the House of Lords could block it if brought forward. The article frames Labour’s apparent shift as politically sensitive and potentially detrimental to the party’s credibility on civil liberties.

Beyond domestic political fault lines, the piece situates the debate within a broader European context. It points to France, which has maintained identity documents for many decades, and notes that even with ID cards, France faces undocumented migration in sectors such as construction, agriculture, hospitality, cleaning, and domestic services—illustrating that the problem persists regardless of documentation. The author adds a historical aside about Britain’s use of ID cards during World War II, arguing that such measures did not prevent threats, were prone to bureaucratic overreach, and were eventually abolished after causing popular backlash. The implication is that a domestic ID-card regime would face significant political and civil liberties challenges.

The column argues that partisan leaders from across the spectrum should unite to oppose the proposal before it gains legislative traction. It cites Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch as opponents of ID cards and highlights Lord Ashcroft’s latest polling, which The Mail on Sunday says shows a joint Tory-Reform party ahead of Labour by about seven percentage points, even if both parties would otherwise split voters if they aligned. The piece concludes by urging Conservatives and Reform to collaborate where they share concerns, starting with this issue, to prevent what it characterizes as a dangerous overreach by the Starmer government.

The piece, published and updated on September 21, 2025, reflects a specific strand of commentary circulating in conservative-aligned outlets about civil liberties, national security, and party strategy. It presents itself as a warning about potential policy direction rather than as a report of confirmed government plans. There has been no independent confirmation from Labour or the government about an imminent digital ID-card rollout, and the stance reflected here represents a viewpoint within a broader, ongoing political debate about security, privacy, and democratic accountability.

World news coverage related to this topic continues to examine how digital identity initiatives intersect with immigration policy, data protection regimes, and cross-border cooperation across Europe and beyond. As political environments shift in the United Kingdom and in allied countries, observers will be watching whether any proposed ID-card measures move from discussion to formal policy, and how opposition parties and civil liberties advocates respond in the coming weeks and months.