This latest gimmick from the Labour Government, like the so-called 1-in 1-out scheme, won’t stop the boats and won’t help tackle illegal migration; it is a desperate distraction from their latest scandals, controversy, infighting and inability to govern in the national interest. It was noticeable it was not included in the PM’s Conference speech. It is my view and my party’s policy to oppose the introduction of a mandatory digital ID - I don’t need to sign letters from other MPs to make this explicit.
Please complete my 60 second survey below sharing your views with me:
https://www.mimsdavies.org.uk/digital-id-survey
For background, as I reminded constituents in my previous statement on Digital ID, on my website - the Labour Government first tried to introduce identity cards under the Identity Cards Act 2006. That legislation provided the legal basis for the cards as well as for a national identity register.
In 2010, the Conservative-led Coalition Government abolished ID cards. They ceased to be a legal form of documentation in 2011 and all data on the national identity register was destroyed.
The Conservatives believed then that the introduction of mandatory identity cards would be detrimental to individual liberty, infringe on privacy, and erode protection from undue state interference - and we still believe it today.
I note, as do constituents, this highly significant measure was not contained in the Labour Government's manifesto at the last election but, then, should we be surprised? It has not stopped them from pursuing their ideological goals and attempting to reorder society according to their statist beliefs, regardless of whether or not they were voted for by the public.
The Tony Blair Institute (TBI), published a report called ‘Time for a Digital ID’ and, shortly after, the current Labour Prime Minister duly announced it as policy, reframed this time as a vital tool to ‘manage’ illegal immigration.
Under this Labour Government and Sir Keir Starmer’s plans to tackle illegal immigration, all adults in Britain will be required to have digital ID cards in order to get a job.
However, Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP, the Shadow Justice Secretary, was very clear that digital IDs would not “stop the boats”. “Most employers who are employing individuals illegally are doing so knowingly. They are doing so dishonestly,” he said.
“Merely asking those employers to check ID cards rather than the current checks that they are already obliged to do is not going to make a blind bit of difference.”
Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP, the Leader of the Conservative Party, said: “This announcement is a desperate gimmick that will do nothing to stop the boats. There are arguments for and against digital ID, but mandating its use would be a very serious step that requires a proper national debate.”
Only the Conservatives have a real plan to secure our borders, and it isn't by forcing residents to have compulsory Digital ID to work.
In fact, as Liz Kendall MP, the new Labour Digital Secretary wrote in her letter to all MPs,
“Digital ID will be a significant cross-government programme aiming to transform public services”
I am clear we, as the Official Opposition, will not back any system that makes ID mandatory for British citizens. As your MP, I firmly do not support this costly, misguided approach by Labour.
The last time Labour attempted to implement digital ID, it was a disaster. In addition to the inevitable delay, overspend and technical incompetence inherent to a Labour Government, we now also have to reckon with the reality of massively increased threats of cyberhacking from a variety of cyber threat actors, the potential exposure of millions of citizens’ private data and the horrendous disruption & costs these attacks can incur.
I am encouraging residents of East Grinstead, Uckfield, the villages and beyond to sign our below petition to Stop The Digital ID:
https://www.whatlaboursaid.com/no-to-digital-id
as so many of those who have written to me on this issue have already done. Indeed, my inbox has exploded, once again, this time with emails from angry and unhappy constituents asking me to oppose this policy, giving lie to the claim by the TBI that the majority of people in the country are in favour of this scheme.
Please feel free to share my personal view:
“I'm disappointed the Labour Government have introduced the mandatory Digital ID on constituents wishing to work.
I know from countless emails from my residents of East Grinstead, Uckfield, and the villages, they absolutely do not support this latest stunt and have asked me to publicly oppose such a thing and fight on their behalf against this.
The Labour Government have shown us over the last year how inept they are, do I trust them to create, design, and successfully implement such a system? Sincerely, No.
I do not back any system that makes ID mandatory for working British citizens. I believe it will be created in-house, another pointless and costly process directing resources away from the priorities of the British people.
I'd recommend everyone who is against the Digital ID to sign our petition. We need less Government intervention in our lives and, from a PM who promised to tread lightly on our lives, this from Labour again is pure hypocrisy.”
#StopTheDigitalID
#SayNoToStarmersID”
