- Sir Keir Starmer announced plans to introduce a new mandatory digital ID system by 2029 for people working in the UK.
- A petition opposing the digital ID cards has collected more than 1.5 million signatures, expressing concerns about mass surveillance and digital control.
- Reform UK leader Nigel Farage criticised the scheme, labelling it an “anti-British card” and arguing it would increase state control rather than combat illegal immigration.
- While initially framed as proof of the right to work to tackle illegal immigration, a government official suggested the digital ID could become the “bedrock of the modern state” for wider public service reform.
- The digital ID will be held on smartphones and will not be required to be physically carried or produced by individuals.
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