By Keir Starmer
Copyright indiatimes
ReutersKeir Starmer to unveil plan for digital ID
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reported to be preparing to outline a proposal to roll out a digital identity scheme, the ‘Brit card’, that would give every adult a verifiable digital credential intended to tackle illegal migration. The proposal was widely reported to be set out in a speech at a policy conference later in the week. According to a Labour Together policy paper and briefings seen by the press, the plan would create a government-issued digital credential, downloadable to smartphones, and a free verifier app for employers, landlords and other organisations to check a person’s right to work or rent. The intention is for the credential to show who has the legal right to live and work in the UK.Ministers expect primary legislation would be required and that the plan would face consultation and parliamentary scrutiny before any roll-out. The government has not published final legislation or a timetable for implementation; No.10 has framed digital ID as one possible tool to make the UK less attractive as a destination for people seeking to work illegally. Supporters argue the system could make it harder for unscrupulous employers and rogue landlords to exploit people who do not have the right to work or rent, thereby reducing the scope for the black economy. Critics, including civil-liberties groups, have warned about privacy, data security and the risks of creating a pervasive identity system. French leaders have urged the UK to adopt tougher ID systems and argued a lack of it acts as a “pull factor”; President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Starmer agreed earlier this summer on the need for shared solutions to small-boat crossings. In the UK, senior figures including former ministers and MPs have raised the idea of digital ID as a tool to tackle illegal work. Live EventsLabour peer Harriet Harman voiced support for the concept in July, telling Sky News that “having digital ID cards would ‘make it even more difficult for people to work illegally’.” She added that while the idea might be controversial it could help address illegal working, a point reflected in the policy paper that helped prompt the No.10 interest. The announcement arrives amid sustained public and political pressure over migration and record small-boat arrivals this year — an issue that Labour ministers say requires new approaches. How the plan would work in practice, how it would interact with existing right-to-work checks and immigration law, and how the government would address concerns about privacy and technical security will be decided through the legislative and consultation process if the proposal proceeds.Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
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