Since the day the UK government’s digital ID scheme was announced, it has faced criticism from both Conservatives and members of the public.
The government will launch a final public consultation to gather feedback on the system, inviting 100 participants to join a “People’s Panel”. The proposal has also been revised in an attempt to gain broader public approval. Initially planned as a mandatory scheme, the digital ID will now be introduced on a voluntary basis.
Sir Keir Starmer previously backed the scheme as a way to verify a citizen’s right to work and live in the UK, describing it as an “enormous opportunity”, before making a sharp U-turn and distancing the policy from the current political debate surrounding immigration.
Ministers are now presenting the digital ID primarily as a convenient tool that would make it easier for people to access public services, while also hoping to counter what they describe as misconceptions about how the technology will be used.
However, critics continue to raise concerns over individual privacy, despite the widely recognised benefits associated with digital identification systems.
