The British government announced on Friday (September 26th) that it will implement a mandatory digital ID card program for British citizens and residents starting new jobs, as one of the measures to curb illegal immigration.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated in a release that “this will make illegal employment in this country more difficult and make our borders more secure.”
A survey showed that immigration is the top concern for UK voters, and Starmer is under immense pressure to prevent migrants from illegally entering the country by small boats. According to statistics from the UK Home Office, a total of 1,157 people arrived in the UK by small boat in the past week.
The government revealed that this digital ID card, called the “Brit-Card,” will be stored on people’s smartphones and must be presented when starting a new job or renting a property, to verify residency and work rights in the UK against a central database. The measure is expected to be implemented before the end of the current parliamentary term, by the end of 2029, and becoming part of mandatory checks by employers when hiring staff. It may also be extended to access services such as childcare, welfare, and tax records in the future.
However, political opponents criticized the measure, arguing that it may not deter illegal immigration and could potentially infringe on civil liberties.
A spokesperson for the Reform UK Party stated: “To think that those already in violation of immigration laws will suddenly start obeying them, or that digital ID cards will have any impact on illegal work primarily conducted through cash transactions, is laughable.”
The Reform UK Party, led by Nigel Farage, a right-wing political party, is currently leading in the polls. The next UK election is expected to be held in 2029.
Farage also expressed his strong opposition to Prime Minister Starmer’s digital ID card on X platform, saying, “It will not work against illegal immigration but will be used to control and punish the rest of us. The state should not have such power.”
Since the abolition of identity cards after World War II, the UK has not issued ID cards, typically relying on passports and driver’s licenses for identification purposes.
In the 2000s, the Labour Party, to which Starmer belongs, attempted to introduce ID cards when it was led by Tony Blair. However, the plan was eventually abandoned by Blair’s successor, Gordon Brown, due to opposition claiming it infringed on civil liberties.
Former Conservative minister David Davis opposed the introduction of ID cards during the Blair Labour government, stating, “While digital ID cards and identity cards may sound like efficient modern solutions to issues like illegal immigration, such claims are at best misleading.”
He added, “These systems pose a significant threat to the privacy and fundamental freedoms of the British people.”
“No system can completely avoid failures, and we have seen time and time again that governments and tech giants are unable to protect personal data. If even leading companies worldwide cannot protect our data, I have little confidence in Whitehall’s ability to do so better,” Davis remarked.
Civil society groups are also concerned about potential privacy risks.
The civil liberties advocacy group “Big Brother Watch” in the UK once again warned against the introduction of ID cards. A petition initiated by the organization has gathered over 101,000 signatures.
The organization stated: “Mandating digital ID cards is highly unlikely to achieve the government’s goal of addressing illegal immigration… Instead, it will only force illegal immigrants further underground, engaging in more precarious work and living in unsafe housing.”
(This article referenced reports from Epoch Times in English)