Blunkett criticises Starmer over U-turn on mandatory digital ID

Independent.co reports Sir Keir Starmer’s U-turn on plans for mandatory digital ID has been criticised by former Labour home secretary David Blunkett, who made his remarks on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. Lord Blunkett said the government had failed to explain why the policy mattered, arguing “Very sadly it is an indication of the failure to be able to annunciate why this policy mattered, to follow through with the detail of how it would work and reinforce that by a plan of action.” He added: “When you fail to do all those things it’s not surprising in the end that the thing runs into the sand.” The scheme, announced last year as voluntary in most cases but mandatory for right-to-work checks, was reported to have been watered down after ministers rowed back on the compulsory element and allowed other digital documents to be used.

The Tony Blair Institute described the move as “a change in approach, not a change in direction,” with Ryan Wain saying removing mandatory digital ID from right-to-work checks fits that description. Public support for digital ID fell from 53 per cent in June to 31 per cent in October, government sources say the scheme will now be optional when introduced in 2029 with workers given other means to verify identity, and it is understood there were fears a mandatory scheme could undermine public trust and spark a Cabinet revolt.

Key Topics

Politics, Keir Starmer, David Blunkett, Digital Id, Tony Blair Institute, Wes Streeting