I am British, I have been living in Spain for four years, and the only identification I have in my wallet is Spanish. Paradoxical, isn't it? I have my TIE (Foreigner Identity Card, which must be obtained upon arrival in the country) and a Spanish driver's license, but I lack any document - the size of a credit card - certifying that I was born in the United Kingdom or that I have the legal right to live and work there. Not even one that could prove I was old enough to watch a movie rated 15, buy paracetamol, or play the lottery at 16. Neither I nor the 69 million people residing in the country, whether citizens or not, have a mandatory identity document by law to certify our age or legal status... but that could be about to change.
All adults in the United Kingdom will receive a new digital identification card issued by the Government, according to Keir Starmer's plans. It is expected that the Prime Minister will announce his support for the so-called "Brit Card" ("British card") during a speech in London on Friday, a document that would verify a citizen's right to live and work in the country and aims to become the cornerstone of his strategy to control illegal immigration.
The details of this so-called "British ID card" will be subject to consultation and are expected to require legislation before implementation. Under these plans, anyone starting a new job or renting a home will need to possess the digital identification, which would be checked against a centralized database of those entitled to work and live in the UK.
Currently, workers must present at least one physical document as identification, but in Westminster, there is concern that these could be falsified and that little prevents employers from claiming to have verified the identity and legal status of their workers when, in reality, they have not. According to statements by Labour member of the House of Lords Harriet Harman on Sky News in July, the measure "would make work in the shadow economy more difficult."
The measure represents a radical policy shift in Downing Street and specifically in Keir Starmer's government. Just over a year ago, the Government rejected - after only two days in power - the proposal by former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair to introduce an identity document to try to curb the arrival of migrants to the country, arguing that it would violate civil liberties. It was precisely for this reason that mandatory identity cards introduced during World War II were abolished in 1952, as their existence was fundamentally at odds with British values and civil liberties. "That was true then, and it is true now," argued Sian Berry, former leader of the Liberal Democrats, on Thursday.
Blair, a staunch advocate of the "British ID card" since the early 2000s, pushed for several initiatives during his time at 10 Downing Street to introduce a pilot system that would start as voluntary and could become mandatory later on. The implementation was ruled out after the Labour Party was ousted from power in 2010, following opposition from the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives at that time. Last July, then-Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said about the idea: "It is not in our electoral program. That is not our focus."
According to parliamentary sources, Starmer shared those reservations but changed his stance due to the unprecedented increase in small boat crossings in the English Channel and the support of his new Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood. "I believe a digital identification system can also help enforce other laws related to illegal work. I think it has a role to play in the field of migration," the minister stated earlier this month.
Echoing her words, Starmer stated this month that digital identity documents could "play an important role" in making the UK less attractive to illegal immigrants. His argument followed the line of what has been repeatedly expressed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who argues that the absence of "official cards" acts as "an attraction factor" for those attempting to reach from France.
The leader of the opposition and the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, yesterday described the plan as a "desperate ploy" that "will not help stop the small boats." She also stated that this issue "requires a national debate" and hinted that the measure lacks popular support. However, a survey conducted by Ipsos earlier this month indicates that over half of the population (57%) would support the implementation of mandatory identity cards, largely due to the advantages they would bring: a single document serving as identification, passport, and driver's license, and the possibility of carrying it on the phone in an increasingly digital era.
The idea stems from a study by the Labour Together think tank, published in July, which proposed a free and secure digital identification, stored on the phone, verifiable by employers, immigration, banks, and landlords through a free verification app. The report's author and technology director of the think tank, Kirsty Innes - now a special advisor to Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology - defended the initiative: "A progressive society can only function if we have meaningful borders. The Brit Card would make it much harder to flout rules on illegal work and rentals, and greatly facilitate the identification and punishment of illegal employers and landlords."