Some sort of ID could be ‘inevitable’ for UK: lawmakers

The UK is still debating national identity documents and digital identities, with lawmakers and experts arguing that the creation of some form of ID is inevitable.

Last week, British Labour Party politician Lord David Blunkett renewed his calls to introduce digital IDs, arguing that it could be the country’s solution for unchecked immigration and human trafficking.

“As the variety of digital record requirements are rolled out, combining them into a usable identity process will become inevitable,” he says.

Blunkett’s comments followed Britain’s former Prime Minister Tony Blair calling on the newly-elected Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to consider digital identity as a solution to controlling irregular migration. Responding to Blair’s opinion piece, Starmer’s Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told the media that the government would look at “all sources of advice” when it came to ID cards but appeared to rule out ID cards less than two hours later.

Despite the unclear reception from Starmer’s government, signs pointing toward the formation of some sort of digital ID are already visible, according to The Telegraph. Together, these could lead to Tony Blair’s national digital identity.

The UK’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is planning on launching mobile driving licenses (mDL) next year while the government is building One Login, a digital identity project designed to ease access to government services.

Meanwhile, the tech industry has been urging the UK’s new Labour government under Prime Minister Starmer to revive the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill (DPDI). The legislation was to be the country’s first introduction of a national digital identity framework but was abandoned in May.

Another politician joining the chorus in favor of IDs last week was Lord Peter Mandelson. The former leading advisor to Blair and business secretary under Gordon Brown said that the case for “e-ID cards is stronger now than it was then” but warned against rushing the new government to take up the issue, according to The Telegraph.

“I think raising it now and trying to herd them into place just on their third day in office is probably not wise and it would be better to let them reflect on it over the summer,” he says.

Meanwhile, commentators such as Open Identity Exchange Chief Identity Strategist Nick Mothershaw point out that the UK does not necessarily need a central national ID database or a government-issued national ID card for people to prove who they are digitally. Smart ID, a private digital ID initiative created by Yoti ID, Post Office EasyID and Lloyds Bank, was recognized by the UK government for both proof of identity and proof of age in June.

“As soon as someone mentions national ID cards you can see that’s not popular,” says Mothershaw.

Article Topics

border security  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  identity document  |  immigration  |  Tony Blair Institute  |  UK