Starmer to unveil digital ID cards in plan set to ignite civil liberties row

The article reports that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to propose a universal digital “Brit Card” ID to help control immigration and curb illegal work and renting, built on the government’s One Login infrastructure and verified via a Brit Card app by employers, landlords, banks, and immigration authorities. Supporters, including Shabana Mahmood and the Tony Blair Institute, argue it will enhance public services and border enforcement, while critics such as David Davis, the Liberal Democrats, the Open Rights Group, and a former Home Office official warn of privacy risks, data errors, civil liberties concerns, and limited effectiveness against illegal migration; opponents also note it was not in Labour’s manifesto.