The BRICS TimesUK PM Keir Starmer revealed a new digital ID initiative offering free access to citizens and residents, aiming to reduce illegal migration.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer revealed on Friday that the government will launch a free digital ID program for citizens and residents.
Officials said the scheme will simplify access to services like driving licences, childcare, welfare, and even tax records.
The digital ID will be stored on mobile phones, eliminating the need to carry physical ID or show it routinely, the government added.
However, it will become “mandatory as a means of proving your right to work,” according to an official statement.
“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,” the statement read.
The announcement comes ahead of Labour’s annual conference, with Starmer facing mounting pressure over immigration policies.
“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.
Although the UK has traditionally resisted identity cards, recent polls show growing support for such a system.
