LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday defended his decision to scrap plans to make a digital ID mandatory for employment in Britain, following intense public and political backlash. The proposed system, introduced by the Labour government in September, aimed to curb illegal migration by requiring a free digital ID for UK nationals and residents. However, officials confirmed that it would no longer be compulsory for workers.
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“I’m determined to make it harder for people to work illegally in this country, and that is why there will be checks,” Starmer told parliament. “They will be digital, and they will be mandatory,” he added, clarifying that verification would still be required, but not necessarily through a single digital ID card.
Finance Minister Rachel Reeves emphasized that the right to work would continue to rely on digital verification, though the form could vary, including e-visas or e-passports. She described the government as “relaxed” about the specific method of verification.
The policy reversal comes amid widespread resistance to mandatory IDs, with critics warning it could lead to excessive government control and the misuse of personal data. Some far-right commentators falsely claimed that the digital ID could track vaccinations or carbon footprints, which officials denied.
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Starmer had initially planned to roll out the digital ID by 2029, but opposition politicians quickly seized on the U-turn. Nigel Farage of Reform UK called it a “victory for individual liberty,” while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the policy as “rubbish” and welcomed its cancellation. The decision marks one of several policy reversals by the Labour government since taking office in July 2024, highlighting the challenges of introducing contentious digital and immigration measures.