Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to significantly dilute plans for a compulsory digital ID card system in the United Kingdom following a massive public outcry. The government is now expected to make the scheme optional when it is introduced, with a target date of 2029.
Public Opposition Forces Major Rethink
The dramatic policy shift comes in direct response to a petition signed by almost three million people demanding the government abandon the initiative entirely. According to reports in The Times, the core of the resistance was the proposal's mandatory nature, which sparked widespread fears over privacy, digital exclusion, and access to work.
A government source indicated that scaling back compulsory use is intended to address concerns that vulnerable groups, such as older or rural residents, could be locked out of employment simply for not having the digital ID. The focus is now on balancing policy goals with practicality and inclusivity.
Digital ID Not Scrapped, But Made Optional
Ministers have stressed that the digital ID policy is not being abandoned. However, the flagship 'Brit Card' proposal is anticipated to be voluntary at first, rather than a mandatory requirement for all citizens. The Times also suggests that alternative digital documents like e-passports and visas will be accepted as proof of work eligibility.
Downing Street has reaffirmed its commitment to compulsory digital right-to-work checks but stated that full details will be unveiled after a public consultation launching in the coming weeks. A government spokesperson said the aim is to streamline public services and improve coordination, while ensuring support for those who struggle with digital technology.
Political Criticism and Growing Doubts
The policy reversal has drawn sharp criticism from political opponents. Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson Lisa Smart mocked the change, suggesting Number 10 needed "bulk ordering motion sickness tablets" due to constant U-turns. She called the plan doomed and urged for funds to be redirected to the NHS and policing.
Doubts about the scheme's viability have been growing. In November, MPs were told the policy had been so badly mismanaged it was now considered "irrecoverable." Silki Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, told the Home Affairs Select Committee that few believe a mandatory digital ID is genuinely about tackling illegal work, warning that the botched rollout could damage trust in the policy for years.
Previously, Keir Starmer has justified the scheme as a vital tool to combat illegal employment, claiming it would close loopholes that allow people to work in the shadow economy. He had asserted that those without a digital ID would not be permitted to work in the UK—a position now fundamentally altered by the expected climbdown.
