UK plans compulsory digital ID as populist pressure over immigration rises: Al Jazeera

The scheme, which government says will curb undocumented immigration, has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum.

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The United Kingdom has announced plans to introduce a digital ID scheme in a bid to curb undocumented immigration, Al Jazeera has reported.

Announced by the government on Friday, the scheme will see the digital ID of British citizens and residents held on phones. The government said there will be no requirement for individuals to carry their ID or be asked to produce it, but that it will be “mandatory” for workers.

The UK has long resisted the idea of Identity cards, which were abolished after World War II, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government is under pressure to tackle immigration that populist forces claim is uncontrolled.

The free digital ID would include a person’s name, date of birth, and photo, as well as information on their nationality and residency status.

It will be “mandatory as a means of proving your right to work”, a government statement said.