The government will introduce an app to hold ID and other information
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to announce the launch of a digital ID system for all British citizens, which the government says will help to tackle illegal immigration. A petition launched on the official Parliament website has surged to over 600,000 signatures, calling for the plans to be halted.
Have your say! Is the digital ID system a good idea or not? Would having lots of different types of ID and personal information in one place be useful for you, or would it make you uncomfortable? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.
In a speech on Friday, Starmer is expected the say that the move will help to clamp down on those who “slip into the shadow economy and remain here illegally”. The digital IDs would be stored on a government-made smartphone app, and alternatives will be made available for those who don’t or can’t have a smartphone, such as very elderly people.
Examples of when it will be used include when applying for a new job or renting a new property, allowing employers and landlords to check a person’s right to live and work in the UK. This will effectively make the system mandatory for every adult to participate in society.
The plan will be subject to consultation and require legislation, with more information on the timeline of ID cards expected to be set out, reports the Mirror.
A petition on the Parliament website has surged in response to the announcement, garnering over 600,000 signatures and climbing rapidly on Friday morning. It reads: “We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at.
“We think this would be a step towards mass surveillance and digital control, and that no one should be forced to register with a state-controlled ID system. We oppose the creation of any national ID system. ID cards were scrapped in 2010, in our view for good reason.”
A Gov.UK ‘wallet’ app is expected in the Autumn, which will eventually carry a digital version of existing government-issued documents, such as the Veterans’ Card. A pilot of a scheme to issue digital driving licences is also on the cards by the end of the year.
Have your say! Is the Digital ID system a good idea or not? Would having lots of different types of ID and personal information in one place be useful for you, or would it make you uncomfortable? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.
