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The British government today announced its intention to create a digital identity card for citizens and permanent residents of the United Kingdom, mainly to combat illegal work, something that will be done for the first time in the country, where the issue of identities has long been a topic of debate.
This identity card, which will not be in paper form but will be stored on mobile phones, “will make it more difficult to work illegally in the country” and “will also offer numerous benefits to citizens, such as the ability to prove their identity to quickly access essential services,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement.
There is no identity card in the United Kingdom, and its creation has been a topic of debate in the country for years.
According to the government's projections, holders of this new digital title will not need to carry it with them at all times and will not be required to show it, but by the end of the current parliamentary term, i.e. in 2029, it will have become "mandatory to prove their right to work" in the country, the government has explained. Checking these digital cards will be mandatory as part of the checks that employers already have to carry out when hiring an employee.
Over time, they will also be used to provide access to other services, such as childcare, social welfare and access to tax records.
The British have not had identity cards since they were abolished after World War II and, when necessary, use other official documents, such as passports and driving licenses, to prove their identity.
Since coming to power, Keir Starmer has increased measures to combat illegal immigration, particularly targeting illegal work.
Many often point to the ease of finding work for those who arrive illegally in the UK as one of the main drivers of illegal immigration.
The plan "targets criminal networks that promise access to the British labor market to take advantage of dangerous and illegal Channel crossings," Downing Street said in a statement.
But there has been criticism from the government's political opponents, who say the move will not discourage immigrants and could infringe on civil liberties.
The UK Reform Party has called the plan a "cynical scam" designed to "fool" voters into believing that something is being done about migration.
Conservative leader Kemi Bedenoch has also dismissed the plan as "a ploy that does nothing to stop the boats" carrying migrants crossing the Channel.
The Liberal Democrats said they would not support mandatory digital ID cards because people are "forced to give up their personal data just to secure their daily lives".
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