UK digital ID card plan watered down after Starmer government U-turn
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- The British government has scaled back its plans for mandatory digital ID cards, no longer requiring citizens and residents to show them to get a job, reversing a key policy announced in September.
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially promoted digital ID as a tool to reduce unauthorized immigration and simplify access to public services, but the plan faced immediate public backlash and declining support in polls.
- The government will launch a full public consultation before finalizing detailed plans for digital ID cards, signaling a more cautious approach to the controversial policy.
- The idea of compulsory ID cards has long been contentious in the UK, with civil rights groups opposing it on grounds of personal liberty and data security, and previous attempts by Tony Blair two decades ago were abandoned due to
