UK Government scraps mandatory digital ID for workers

The UK government has backed down on plans to make digital ID cards compulsory for workers — abandoning the idea that everyone would need one to prove their right to work by the end of this Parliament (due by 2029). Originally pitched as a way to deter illegal working, the requirement will no longer be mandatory, though the government says it is still committed to digital right-to-work checks.

Employers will still need to check eligibility, but other forms of documentation (like passports or electronic visas) can be used instead of a government digital ID. The reversal is being seen as yet another high-profile policy U-turn by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration.

Reactions:

🔹 Conservatives

• Tory figures have slammed the decision as another “humiliating U-turn” and evidence of weak leadership from Sir Keir Starmer. They argue the original policy was tough and necessary but has now been watered down.

🔹 Reform UK

• Reform UK leader Nigel Farage welcomed the rollback, calling it a “victory for individual liberty” and pushing for the scheme to be scrapped entirely.

🔹 Labour government voices

• Some senior Labour figures, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting, defended responding to public feedback and said it’s better to adjust a policy than stick with something unpopular.

🔹 Internal party pressure

• Reports suggest even some Labour MPs were reluctant to publicly defend mandatory digital ID, indicating unease within the party about the original approach.

💬 Public and campaign group sentiment

📈 Public opposition & petitions

• Large petitions against digital ID — including ones with millions of signatures — were a factor in building pressure on the government. Civil liberties groups and MPs from different parties had rallied against the idea for months.

📉 Polling shifts

• Support for the digital ID concept had dropped significantly since its announcement, with polls showing a marked increase in opposition as the debate progressed.

👥 Mixed public views

• On social forums, some people said the U-turn was wise and overdue, while others used it to criticise the government’s policy-making process — pointing to confusion, lack of clarity on costs or benefits, and poor planning.

🛡️ Broader concerns (from the earlier debate)

Although these are from the period before the U-turn, they explain a lot of the backlash that shaped reactions:

• Civil liberties groups warned the scheme risked turning into a “surveillance system” and threatened individual freedoms.

• Digital access worries — critics said it could disadvantage older people or those without smartphones.

• Polling showed declining support as controversy grew over privacy and practicality.

Bottom line: Reactions span political criticism (especially from opposition parties), celebration from civil liberties advocates and Reform UK, and public debate shaped by petitions and declining support — all contributing to the government’s decision to drop the compulsory element of the digital ID plans.