The campaign for digital IDs has been re-energised by the Prime Minister Keir Starmer to handle immigration, which is becoming a hallmark of the political climate. Digital IDs, which failed to launch under Tony Blair’s labour government, play a role in his plan to reduce illegal migration and diffuse the mounting tensions from some voters. The Prime Minister is expected to outline the strategy later this month, potentially coinciding with the Labour Party conference, according to many reports.
IDs would be provided for people entering the country legally with legalised immigration status or citizenship, distinguishing them from undocumented migrants. Governments worldwide have been adopting similar systems to achieve universal coverage across both the public and private sectors. Advocates argue that requiring every eligible person to hold a digital ID ensures accurate records, prevents administrative complexity, and eliminates reliance on mixed paper-digital systems.
In practice, the IDs would be used to support right-to-work and right-to-rent checks. Support for a strategy encompassing IDs has grown over the last months, reflecting stronger public sentiment around tightening migration controls and reducing the UK’s appeal to irregular migrants.
53% of people back the introduction of digital IDs, compared with just 5% opposed, according to the Financial Times.
At Identity Week Europe, digital identity stands at the forefront of innovation and policy discussion, bringing together government representatives, industry leaders, and technology pioneers to shape the future of secure and trusted identity ecosystems. The event provides a vital platform to explore how digital identity solutions can drive efficiency, strengthen security, and promote inclusion across key sectors such as finance, healthcare, travel, and public administration. With Europe advancing initiatives like EES/ETIAS, country-led digital ID initiatives, and eIDAS 2.0, the conference highlights the importance of interoperability, privacy, and user-centric design, while showcasing cutting-edge technologies including biometrics, blockchain, and artificial intelligence. Leading organizations such as FaceTec, FRONTEX, Entrust, European Commission, iProov, Estonian Ministry of the Interior, Mühlbauer, IDEMIA, ANTS, Hopae, Netherlands Royal Marechaussee, Infineon, Government Digital Service, Office for Digital Identity and Attributes, and the Norwegian Tax Authority feature prominently among the attendees, underscoring the event’s role as the premier meeting point for stakeholders dedicated to building a safer, more connected, and digitally empowered society.
