UK to launch digital ID scheme to curb illegal migration

Migrants are brought to port by the UK Border Force after being picked up crossing the English Channel from France on April 14, 2022. (AFP file photo)

• The government said the drive will also make it simpler to apply for services like driving licenses, childcare and welfare, while streamlining access to tax records

LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keith Starmer on Friday announced plans to introduce free digital ID for both nationals and those residing in the country in a bid to curb illegal migration.
The government said the drive will also make it simpler to apply for services like driving licenses, childcare and welfare, while streamlining access to tax records.
The new digital ID will be held on people’s phones and there will be no requirement for individuals to carry their ID or be asked to produce it, said the government.
However, it will be “mandatory as a means of proving your right to work,” a statement said.
“This will stop those with no right to be here from being able to find work, curbing their prospect of earning money, one of the key ‘pull factors’ for people who come to the UK illegally,” it added.
The announcement comes as Labour, the party in government, prepares to hold its annual conference, with Starmer under intense pressure, particularly over immigration.
“Digital ID is an enormous opportunity for the UK... it will also offer ordinary citizens countless benefits,” Starmer said.
“We are doing the hard graft to deliver a fairer Britain for those who want to see change, not division,” he added.
The UK has traditionally resisted the idea of identity cards, but more recent polling suggests support for the move.