The British government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, announced this Friday that it will require all workers in the country to possess a mandatory digital identity document before the end of the current parliamentary term.
The measure, which will be free of charge and will primarily aim to control illegal immigration, also seeks to curb the immense growth of the right-wing Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage.
The announcement was made during the Global Progress Action Summit, where Starmer shared the stage with the leaders of Canada, Australia, and Iceland. In his speech, the Labour leader acknowledged that both his party and other center-left governments have historically been "timid" or "evasive" when addressing voters' concerns about immigration.
This lack of action, according to Starmer, has allowed the growth of "populist" proposals such as that of Reform UK, which he described as his main political rival ahead of the 2029 general elections.
"In the United Kingdom, we are facing a right-wing proposal like we've never had before," Starmer stated, noting that the true political dispute of this era is between a "patriotic national renewal" and a "divisive and toxic narrative promoted by parties like Reform UK."
In this context, the implementation of a digital identity system could represent an attempt to balance migration control with a narrative of order and state modernization.
The digital document will be stored on citizens' mobile phones and will be required as part of the identity verification process when being hired by an employer.
