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Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed for the first time the government is looking at digital ID as a way to tackle illegal immigration.<\/p>\n
The prime minister said a new identity programme could play an “important part” in reducing the incentive to enter the UK without permission.<\/p>\n
The last Labour government started issuing ID cards to UK citizens, but the scheme was scrapped by the Tory-Liberal Democrat coalition over privacy concerns.<\/p>\n
But Sir Keir said he felt the debate had “moved on in the last 20 years”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Speaking to political editor Chris Mason, Sir Keir said: “We all carry a lot more digital ID now than we did twenty years ago, and I think that psychologically, it plays a different part.”<\/p>\n
Asked whether a new scheme could play a role in reducing the attractiveness of the UK as a destination for illegal migrants, he added: “My instinct is it can play an important part. Obviously we need to look through some of the detail.”<\/p>\n
He added that, two decades on from the row over New Labour’s physical ID card scheme, the public was likely to “look differently” at a digital-based scheme.<\/p>\n
He did not confirm whether any new digital ID scheme would be mandatory.<\/p>\n
Employers and landlords have been able to use government-certified digital verification services since 2022 to conduct right to work and right to rent checks on passport-holding British and Irish citizens.<\/p>\n
A Home Office online scheme also exists to check the status of some non-British or Irish citizens. <\/p>\n
It is understood officials are looking at the potential for a new scheme to provide a more consistent approach to conducting the checks.<\/p>\n
They are also thought to be exploring whether the scheme could reduce the use of fake documents and make it easier to target enforcement activity.<\/p>\n
Sir Keir’s comments are the most positive remarks yet by the prime minister about the idea, which is likely to reignite a debate over civil liberties. <\/p>\n