Sir Keir Starmer is contemplating the implementation of digital ID cards for all citizens in the UK as part of his strategy to address the ongoing small boats crisis, however privacy campaigners warn the legislation could lead the UK down a dystopian path.
The Prime Minister led an emergency ministerial meeting [1] to discuss the potential use of digital ID cards in addressing the factors that encourage migrants to cross to UK shores. Downing Street did not dismiss the possibility of making the introduction of ID cards mandatory, emphasizing its readiness to consider effective measures. “We're willing to look at what works when it comes to tackling illegal migration, and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Mr McFadden referenced that over the weekend in terms of applications of digital ID to the immigration system,” said a government spokesperson, “The point here is looking at what works, ensuring that we're doing what we can to address some of the drivers of illegal migration, tackle those pull factors, ensure that we're doing everything we can to crack down on illegal working. We've made significant progress when it comes to illegal working, surged arrests by 50%, but there's more to do in this space.”
Emmanuel Macron [2] the President of France has consistently emphasized that [3] the absence of ID cards in the UK serves as a significant attraction for migrants, allowing them to access employment in the UK's considerable black market. Sources within Whitehall indicated that the government is still in the preliminary stages of considering the introduction of digital ID cards. In 2006, the UK government led by former Prime Minister Tony Blair implemented [4] the Identity Cards Act 2006, which aimed to establish a mandatory national identity card system. Tony Blair stated that foreign nationals would receive “biometric residence permits” upon applying for [5] a national insurance number in Britain. Without registration on the ID card database, they would be ineligible to work, claim benefits, or access free hospital treatment.
This initiative generated [6] considerable debate and public apprehension regarding issues of privacy and government surveillance. Although the legislation sought to create a digital identity and database, it faced substantial resistance, leading to the eventual repeal of the ID card system. Phil Booth, [7] who led the National Coordinator of NO2ID campaign group stated that the report from the MPs indicated that the project's political nature was affecting its implementation. “Driven by a political agenda all along, the Home Office's utter failure to engage properly with the public, experts and industry and its culture of secrecy and bullying means that it now doesn't even have the basic level of trust required to proceed. Despite all the committee's recommendations, this scheme can't be fixed, so it should be dropped and the act repealed before even more damage is done.”
In 2010, the UK coalition government [8] abolished the national identity card scheme through the passage of the Identity Documents Act 2010. This legislation, which marked the coalition's first Home Office Bill, nullifies all existing identity cards and dismantles the National Identity Register. [9] Former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said in a statement, “The wasteful, bureaucratic and intrusive ID card scheme represents everything that has been wrong with the government in recent years. By taking swift action to scrap it, we are making it clear that this government won’t sacrifice people’s liberty for the sake of Ministers’ pet projects. Cancelling the scheme and abolishing the National Identity Register is a major step in dismantling the surveillance state but ID cards are just the tip of the iceberg. Today marks the start of a series of radical reforms to restore hard-won British freedoms.”
[10] Tony Blair Institute For Global Change said small boat crossings [11] are “about the pull of the shadow economy here and gangs are literally selling this as part of their pitch to vulnerable people who are then making the crossing”. However, privacy and civil liberties organization Big Brother Watch [12] has stated that a mandatory digital ID system could lead to a “dystopian nightmare,” where individuals in Britain may be required to pass through digital checkpoints to carry out their daily activities. “Simply put the burden on the already law-abiding citizens to prove their right to be here,” said Interim director Rebecca Vincent.
Michelle Dewberry, a newsreader for GB News [13] also criticized the digital ID legislation and asserted that the application of these measures will extend beyond merely controlling the increasing influx of illegal migrants crossing the English Channel. “I don’t really trust this government, we talk time and time again about things like Afghan data leaks, public sector IT failures, I personally don’t trust this government or any government to take my data and keep that data safe and not misuse it. If you’re so desperate to stop this illegal working, why oh why oh why did this government have to essentially be pushed into sharing the information as to where these asylum hotels were with companies like Deliveroo? They wouldn’t initially share it because they said they were concerned about the wellbeing of the residents within those hotels. If these things were introduced, they wouldn’t just stop at these people making the crossings, they would be radically and rapidly expanded to every citizen, I believe. Maybe I’m just getting old and cynical,” said Dewberry.