By Andrew Forgrave

Copyright dailypost

More than 140,000 people in Wales have signed a petition opposing the introduction of digital ID cards in the UK. It follows plans announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to make them mandatory for people working in the UK by 2029.

Welsh opposition is being led by people in the Alyn and Deeside constituency. Here, 5,661 signatures have been added to a petition which described a national ID system as a “step towards mass surveillance and digital control”. Anglesey, the country’s smallest electorate, has provided the fewest signatures – the full list is below.

Given the number of signatories from North Wales, Sam Rowlands, the region’s Senedd Member at the Welsh Parliament, has called on the Welsh Government to issue a statement on its “devolved competencies” in terms of ID cards.

Speaking in the Senedd, he said: “Over 30,000 of my constituents in Wrexham, Flintshire and North Wales have signed a petition opposing the introduction of the mandatory digital ID, and many of them have genuine concerns.

“I’d ask for a statement from the Welsh Government on its position.”

So far, almost 2.7m signatures have been raised by the petition across the UK. For the issue to be debated in Parliament, 100,000 names are needed. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now

However there is little evidence that petitions are successful in shaping government policy. Notoriously, half a million people opposed the 20mph roll-out in Wales but this was largely ignored. More than 6 million people signed a petition calling for Brexit to be reversed.

Civil liberties groups have voiced concerns over the proposals, fearing ID cards to be the thin edge of a wedge that could lead to a mass surveillance infrastructure covering everything from benefits to benefits to health and taxes.

But the prime minister has insisted the “Brit card” will be an “enormous opportunity” for the UK. As well as helping to tackle illegal migration, he said it will enable people to quickly prove their identity when accessing key services.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has labelled digital ID as “an anti-British card”. Writing in the Daily Express, he said it will “do nothing to combat illegal immigration”, adding: “It will give the state more power to control the British people.”

Tory MS Sam Rowlands also fears the worst. He said: “Wales will be hit hard financially if this goes ahead and it will be the public who will be picking up the tab.

“We have record council tax rises, ever increasing hospital waiting lists and public services like libraries and toilets being closed across Wales. The Welsh Government cannot justify the cost of introducing such a policy.”

In response to his call for a ministerial statement, Jane Hutt, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip, said ID cards were a UK Government proposal.

She told the Senedd: “I’m sure we will have the opportunity to engage with that proposal as it’s taken forward.” Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox

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