Government pushing to extend digital IDs to children as young as 13

The backlash has been intense

Digital IDs have been a major talking point in the popular discourse of late, ever since Keir Starmer announced plans for their introduction at the end of September.

Much backlash followed this news with a petition set up in response which has almost reached three million signatures.

The proposal is part of a new plan to tackle illegal immigration with the new ID set to make up part of each citizen's right to live and work in the UK.

The new IDs have been dubbed the "Britcard" but will require a full consultation and the passing of legislation before they can be fully rolled out.

Under the new rules, anyone planning to start a new job in the UK must hold a digital ID.

Now, the Daily Mail has reported that the government has plans to extend the digital ID to children as young as 13.

The Mail claim that this response suggests that the scheme could be expanded much further beyond its current targets, potentially targeting public services.

Silkie Carlo, director of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, told the Mail that the IDs are "fast becoming a digital permit required to live our everyday lives".

"Starmer has sold his Orwellian digital ID scheme to the public on the lie that it will only be used to stop illegal working but now the truth, buried in the small print, is becoming clear," she added.

"We now know that digital IDs could be the backbone of a surveillance state and used for everything from tax and pensions to banking and education.

"The prospects of enrolling even children into this sprawling biometric system is sinister, unjustified and prompts the chilling question of just what he thinks the ID will be used for in the future.

"No one voted for this and millions of people who have signed the petition against it are simply being ignored."

In response to these plans, a petition was set up which has almost reached three million signatures in one week.

This petition hit one million signatures in just one day, and has kept up the pace, hitting two million in just two days.

This has made it one of the fastest growing petitions in recent history, up there with the petition to repeal the Online Safety Act and to call a general election.

The petition reads: "We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at.

"We think this would be a step towards mass surveillance and digital control, and that no one should be forced to register with a state-controlled ID system. We oppose the creation of any national ID system. ID cards were scrapped in 2010, in our view for good reason."

In response, the government has now responded to the petition on the official petitions website, as it is obliged to.

The displayed statement read: "We will introduce a digital ID within this Parliament to help tackle illegal migration, make accessing government services easier, and enable wider efficiencies. We will consult on details soon."

It added in the full statement: "The Government has announced plans to introduce a digital ID system which is fit for the needs of modern Britain.

"We are committed to making people’s everyday lives easier and more secure, to putting more control in their hands (including over their own data), and to driving growth through harnessing digital technology.

"We also want to learn from countries which have digitised government services for the benefit of their citizens, in line with our manifesto commitment to modernise government."

It ended: "We will launch a public consultation in the coming weeks and work closely with employers, trade unions, civil society groups and other stakeholders, to co-design the scheme and ensure it is as secure and inclusive as possible.

"Following consultation, we will seek to bring forward legislation to underpin this system."

The full, entire and very long statement can be read here.

Last week, a spokesperson said that there will be no requirement for digital IDs to be carried or shown.

The spokesperson said: "There will be no requirement for individuals to carry their ID or be asked to produce it - but digital ID will be mandatory as a means of proving your Right to Work."

The IDs will be integrated into the Gov.uk digital wallet, which will be on people's phones and is being likened to apps like Google Wallet or Apple Pay.

The government thinks that the ID will "stop those with no right to be here from being able to find work, curbing their prospect of earning money, one of the key 'pull factors' for people who come to the UK illegally".

"It will send a clear message that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to work, deterring people from making these dangerous journeys."

The new system is reportedly being implemented as a means of tracking down those working illegally in the UK.