Overview

• Tony Blair Institute calls for a flagship digital ID app for everyone over 18 to become the default way to verify identity and access everyday services, from proving age in pubs to reporting potholes and claiming benefits.
• Keir Starmer is widely reported to be preparing a digital ID announcement at the Labour Party conference, with ministers portraying it as a tool to curb illegal working and streamline interactions with the state.
• Rights groups including Big Brother Watch, Liberty and Unlock Democracy warn a compulsory system could enable mass surveillance and create a central data target for hackers, urging the government to drop mandatory plans.
• TBI cites polling showing 62% support for introducing digital ID, while YouGov research commissioned by Big Brother Watch found 63% do not trust the government to protect such data, underscoring stark divides in public sentiment.
• The government says it will consider serious proposals and is rolling out voluntary digital credentials such as the GOV.UK Wallet, as political figures range from Reform UK’s critics to a more open stance signaled by the Liberal Democrat leader.