The UK government is preparing to significantly scale back its controversial plans for a mandatory digital identity system, following a massive public and political backlash. This marks a major climbdown for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who had previously championed the scheme.
A Major Policy Retreat
According to reports, ministers are set to water down the flagship policy, which was originally slated for introduction in 2029. Instead of making a government-issued digital ID card compulsory from the outset, the revised plan will allow people to use existing digital documents, such as electronic visas and passports, to prove their right to work. This shift comes after nearly three million people signed a petition demanding the scheme be scrapped entirely.
A government source indicated that the intense focus on compulsion was dominating the debate. "Stepping back from mandatory-use cases will deflate one of the main points of contention," the source stated. "We do not want to risk there being cases of some 65-year-old in a rural area being barred from working because he hasn’t installed the ID." Despite the retreat, a government spokesperson insisted the core policy was not being abandoned, emphasising a commitment to "mandatory digital right to work checks."
Criticism and Accusations of Failure
The proposed digital ID system has faced scathing criticism from across the political spectrum and from civil liberties groups. Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokeswoman Lisa Smart lambasted the government's apparent U-turn, stating: "It was clear right from the start this was a proposal doomed to failure, that would have cost obscene amounts of taxpayers money to deliver absolutely nothing." She called for the billions earmarked for the project to be redirected to the NHS and frontline policing.
Silki Carlo, director of the pressure group Big Brother Watch, went further, telling a parliamentary committee in November that the policy had been so badly managed it was now "irrecoverable". She questioned the government's stated motive of targeting illegal working, asking: "Which begs the question, what is it really about, and what will the other uses be?"
What Happens Next?
The government has confirmed that a full public consultation on the digital ID plans will be launched shortly. This consultation will be crucial in determining the final shape of the policy. Prime Minister Starmer had previously argued that the scheme was essential to tackle illegal immigration, stating in September: "You will not be able to work in the UK if you don't have a digital ID, it's as simple as that." However, the scale of the public backlash has forced a strategic rethink, moving the government towards a more voluntary, phased approach that leverages existing digital credentials.
While No. 10 maintains its commitment to the principle of digital verification, the path forward is now one of compromise. The coming weeks will reveal whether this softened stance can salvage the policy or if, as critics suggest, the project's credibility is permanently damaged.
