Starmer announces a digital ID to combat illegal immigration in the UK
The Prime Minister is trying to stem the onslaught of the far right by resurrecting an old idea of Tony Blair's that was ultimately discarded.
LondonBritish Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed this Friday that his government will introduce a mandatory digital identity for anyone who wants to work in the United Kingdom before the end of his current term, in principle, in 2029. The measure was announced at a summit of progressive world leaders taking place in London, and which was also attended by the Prime Minister, who is key in combating illegal immigration and prohibiting the incorporation of undocumented people into the labor market. "You won't be able to work in the United Kingdom without a Digital ID. It's that simple," he said.
The new digital ID will include the name, date of birth, nationality or state of residence and a photograph, all stored on a mobile device, similar to credit cards. contacts. It will not be necessary to carry physical documentation or show it on a daily basis: it will only be requested to verify the right to work. The government has not yet set a date for the program to come into effect, nor has it resolved issues such as whether the identification will include the address or what alternative will be available to those who do not have a smartphone.
The initiative is a further step in the fight against Nigel Farage's Reform Party, which has made Emigration, the worst of all the United Kingdom's evilsIn this sense, Starmer believes the country has been "too scrupulous" in addressing irregular immigration and that a "fair" system is needed to guarantee public confidence. premier, swept up in Farage's xenophobic agenda, admitted that it is "too easy" for some to enter the black economy and stay in the country.
However, official data puts the debate into perspective. According to the Office for National Statistics, 875,000 legal visas—for work, study, family reunification, or asylum—were granted in the twelve months leading up to March 2025, while irregular arrivals were detected at just over 44,000, the vast majority in small boats across the Channel. This means that illegal immigration represents only a minority fraction of the total migration.
The debate over digital IDs is not new. In the early 2000s, Tony Blair attempted to introduce a mandatory identity card, in this case a physical one, as a response to security and immigration challenges. The proposal faced strong political and social opposition and was ultimately dropped; It's worth remembering that there's no equivalent to the mandatory Spanish ID card in the UK. The revival of the idea has already drawn considerable criticism. The government insists it will only be used to verify the right to work, but opponents warn that it could become a tool for mass surveillance.