Digital ID plans spark row amid far-right misinformation

Highlights

• Prime minister Keir Starmer announced digital ID cards will be introduced by 2029.
• Public support dropped from 53 per cent to 31 per cent following the announcement.
• Government insists scheme will not be compulsory and won't store vaccination data.

Prime minister Keir Starmer announced in September that the digital ID card would be introduced by 2029. The government has stated it will not be mandatory but will be required to prove the right to work.

However, prominent figures have made controversial claims about the scheme. Critics warn that digital ID will be used to store data on vaccinations and carbon footprints and limit access to flying and food, allegations the government has vehemently denied.

Nigel Farage, leader of anti-immigration party Reform UK, alleged on GB News that medical data would be added and unvaccinated people would become "second-class citizens".

Dr Renee Hoenderkamp, a commentator on the right-wing channel, warned "Step out of line, say something they don't like and they will switch you off, no travel, no car, no spending, no life."

A government spokesperson firmly rejected these assertions, told AFP "None of these claims have any factual basis. We have been clear that digital ID will not be compulsory, and it will not be a crime not to have one". The spokesperson added that digital ID would give people more control over their data and ensure access to public services.

Claims spark concern

Public support has fallen sharply since the announcement. Think tank More in Common found that in late September, 45 per cent opposed the plan and only 31 per cent backed it, down from 53 per cent support in late 2024.

Nearly 3 m people have signed a petition against the proposal, triggering a parliamentary debate on 8 December. Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch advocacy group, who addressed MPs, said "It is certainly not a fringe issue. This is a mainstream political issue."

The UK is one of the few European countries without any ID card, and the concept has historically faced resistance. The main opposition parties have opposed the digital ID plan.

Online misinformation has proliferated, with AI-generated videos of supposed mass demonstrations gaining millions of views on TikTok, though actual street protests have remained relatively small.

AFP