Keir Starmer announced ID scheme to curb illegal migration

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday announced plans for a new nationwide digital ID in a bid to curb illegal migration, but the move faces strong opposition in country that has long-resisted such moves.

The new digital ID will be held on people’s phones and there will be no requirement for individuals to carry or be asked to produce it, said the government.

However, it will be “mandatory as a means of proving your right to work,” a statement said.

“This will stop those with no right to be here from being able to find work, curbing their prospect of earning money, one of the key ‘pull factors’ for people who come to the UK illegally,” it added.

The government said the drive will also make it simpler to apply for services like driving licences, childcare and welfare, while streamlining access to tax records.

The announcement comes as Labour, the party in government, prepares to hold its annual conference, with Starmer under intense pressure, particularly over immigration.

“Digital ID is an enormous opportunity for the UK … it will also offer ordinary citizens countless benefits,” Starmer said.

“We are doing the hard graft to deliver a fairer Britain for those who want to see change, not division,” he added.

The UK has traditionally resisted the idea of identity cards and does not have a central civilian registry or identification requirements in public.

The Conservative-led government in 2011 repealed legislation by Tony Blair’s government that created voluntary national identity cards and a resident registry database.