Government ‘absolutely’ looking at idea of ‘Brit Card’ digital ID
The Government is “absolutely” looking at the idea of digital ID cards, a Cabinet minister has said.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed said that ministers “know we need to look at all the actions we can take” to reduce illegal migration.
It comes amid reports Number 10 are looking at plans for a so-called “Brit Card”, a digital ID on a smartphone that could be used to check on somebody’s rights to live and work in the UK.
Speaking to Times Radio on Friday morning, Mr Reed said: “It’s absolutely something that we are looking at, and that we should be looking at.”
He added: “We know we need to look at all the actions we can take to stop the levels of illegal migration that we were seeing particularly under the last government.
“We have to stop the number of people that we’ve seen who don’t have a right to come here.”
“A discussion”
Asked whether he thought digital IDs should be mandatory, Mr Reed told the same station: “There’s a discussion going on and I’m happy to take part in that discussion as well.
“I think it’s absolutely right that we should be looking at this, it’s something that’s been talked about for quite a while, the Government referenced it in a white paper, but now there will be a more detailed conversation.”
Brit Card
Plans for the Brit Card have been put forward by the think tank Labour Together.
In the foreword to their report on the ID, two new Labour MPs say that it “will not be a silver bullet to the problem of illegal migration” but “should form an important part of Labour’s enforcement strategy”.
Jake Richards and Adam Jogee said: “There can be no doubt that this is the kind of ambitious, progressive project a Labour government should pursue to protect our borders and empower our citizens.”
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Bring back and extend the old National Insurance card.
Sheesh. McSweeny idea? He needs to go. He is trying to out farage through starmer.
Welsh Labour MP’s, what will your next job be?
Getting jobs is tough enough and then usually most employers want a ton of paperwork to prove who you are and your bank details. What benefit will this new digital whatever give?
An id card based on brexit bigotry and all it has created. No thanks to that. Don’t want English government apps on my phone. You can get digital it’s already via yoti and post office. And most have a photo id like oassport or vehicle license for the current hoops to get a job. Getting sick of this government appeasing the reform mob and punishing us
The lack of an id card was the reason the UK couldn’t manage EU free movement properly. There were lots of restrictions that we chose to not implement.
And a massive one we did when we left the EU.
It’s the pushing of the Blair agenda for ID and an extension of the state’s power of surveillance and monitoring individuals all in line with the EU plans.
Recent HMRC phishing shows why Govts can’t be trusted with digital information.
Who’s the businesses behind this? who wants to deliver it, Serco or others I suspect, couldn’t be trusted with tagging contract. Had to pay multi million pounds fines and contract repayments.
https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/255/secondary-legislation-scrutiny-committee/news/200995/lords-committee-criticises-ministry-of-justices-handling-of-tagging-contracts/
The start of goverment control
1984 her we go!
Illegal immigration?
Will that now be added to the usual excuses of organised crime, terrorism and child abuse for the imposition of authoritarian measures?
There needs to be a reliable trusted way of proving your identity. You’d be the first to complain if your bank gave the contents of your accounts to someone else because they couldn’t properly identify them. It only becomes authoritarian when it’s a requirement to carry the id at all times and present them at checkpoints.
It’s bad enough that we’ve been forced into carrying a British passport, I’d rather not endure further embarrassment by carrying something else British.