The United Kingdom government has scrapped plans to introduce mandatory digital identity cards following strong public opposition to the proposed scheme. The decision was confirmed by incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who said funds earmarked for the programme would instead support a tax cut aimed at reducing household electricity costs amid rising living expenses.
The digital ID card initiative was introduced by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer as part of efforts to tackle illegal migrant employment and modernise access to public services. The proposed system was estimated to cost about £1.8 billion over three years, although questions were raised over the availability of funding for the project.
Millions of Britons opposed the plan, with a parliamentary petition against the scheme attracting nearly three million signatures, making it one of the largest public petitions in the country’s history. Critics argued that mandatory digital identities could increase government surveillance and threaten personal privacy.
The controversy revived memories of a similar identity card programme introduced under former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government in the 2000s, which was later abandoned in 2011 after a change in government. The latest decision marks another rejection of a nationwide compulsory digital identity system in the UK.