Overview
- Labour MPs supportive of digital identity in principle criticize shifting justifications and call for a clearer focus on public service benefits.
- A Westminster Hall debate turned combative as ministers rejected claims of surveillance, with Ian Murray insisting the system would not be mandatory or track activity.
- A public petition calling for the plan to be scrapped has grown to nearly three million signatures, reflecting widespread resistance.
- Lord Ashcroft’s focus groups report broad opposition across political backgrounds, citing fears of hacking, cost, and exclusion of people without smartphones.
- The ICO’s John Edwards pledged oversight and stressed trust and competence as essential, as the government targets a consultation by end‑2025, legislation next year, and right‑to‑work implementation by 2029 amid expert warnings of administrative and inclusion risks.