UK DIGITAL ID: 'Every Hour' State Tracking FURY

The announcement by Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party to introduce mandatory Digital ID cards for all adults by the end of the next Parliament has ignited a political firestorm, with former Conservative Minister Sir Ranil Jayawardena delivering a blistering critique, warning the plan risks turning the UK into a surveillance state.

Jayawardena claimed the digital system, intended primarily to verify the right to work, would fundamentally alter the relationship between the citizen and the state, suggesting it would mean Britons are "reporting to the Government every single hour of every single day."

The core of the opposition lies in the erosion of privacy. Unlike a paper document, a digital ID is a single point of data aggregation, creating a detailed trail of every interaction—from employment checks to access of public services. This allows for an unprecedented level of real-time monitoring and data collection that opponents fear will inevitably lead to 'mission creep,' expanding the system's use far beyond its original purpose into banking, healthcare, and daily life.

"We believe in the freedom of people to live their own lives, not having to report to the government every single hour of every single day," the former Minister asserted, rejecting the idea of the UK becoming a 'papers, please' society. He drew a stark historical parallel, noting that the last time such a system was used was during the Second World War, and it was quickly abolished afterwards to restore individual liberty.

Beyond civil liberties, the proposal was attacked on financial and operational grounds. Jayawardena labelled it "yet another expensive diversion," predicting the scheme would consume "millions, if not billions, of pounds" on what he called another government IT venture doomed to fail. He argued that the government's decades-long track record of technology project failures makes this a reckless gamble that will only "grow an even bigger black hole" for the Treasury, inevitably leading to higher taxes.

Furthermore, critics warn that centralising identity data creates a massive target for cybercriminals and hostile states. A major breach would compromise the foundational information of the entire adult population. The system also risks creating a digital divide, potentially excluding citizens who are elderly, homeless, or lack access to necessary technology, effectively locking them out of employment and essential services through the power to 'disable' a person's digital identity.

The former Minister urged MPs across the political spectrum to reject the mandatory ID, arguing it would fail to solve the issue of illegal working. He advocated instead for the reinstatement of practical measures like the Rwanda scheme and focusing on offshore processing as a more effective solution to immigration challenges. The consensus among critics is that the mandatory Digital ID is not a solution, but a costly and dangerous step towards state control.