Petition against digital ID cards reaches one million signatures

The backlash has been intense

Yesterday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to introduce new legislation that will require every adult in the UK to own a form of government-issued digital ID, as first reported by Sky News.

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, which were first reported yesterday, 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, in response to these plans, a petition has been set up which has already reached one million signatures in just over 24 hours.

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."

Earlier today, a spokesperson has 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.