Andy Burnham to scrap digital ID to focus on ‘helping with cost of living’
“This reprioritization of public resources demonstrates a shift in direction towards improving daily life and strengthening local economies over expensive national government programs.”
Plans for the digital identity scheme were first introduced by Sir Keir ahead of Labour’s conference last year.
At the time, Starmer argued that mandatory digital ID for workers would ease restrictions on immigrants working illegally and modernize the state.
As well as tackling illegal immigration, Starmer said the digital ID system would allow citizens to prove their identity to quickly access essential services rather than chasing electricity bills.
The Office for Budget Responsibility last November estimated the scheme would cost £1.8bn over three years, but Downing Street rejected that figure.
The government changed its approach in January after nearly three million people signed a parliamentary petition opposing the introduction of digital IDs.
Instead Cabinet Minister Darren Jones has unveiled a voluntary scheme which he says will eventually allow people to do everything from managing childcare to filling out their tax returns via a “one-stop-shop” app.
Shortly afterwards, Home Affairs Committee Chair Dame Karen Bradley said the government had been right to introduce digital ID but had botched the launch.
In a report setting out the committee’s investigation into the launch of the digital identity policy and subsequent changes, Dame Karen described attempts to implement the plans as “nothing short of a fiasco” that “raised fears that the government would overly intervene in people’s lives”.
Burnham will meet King George III on Monday. Following his meeting with Charles, who will become prime minister, his office said “one of the first things this government will do is put its focus on where people need it right now”.
Scrapping the digital ID would mean “redirecting resources allocated for the program to people’s daily priorities”, the spokesperson said.
The update to digital identities follows news that Burnham will announce plans for new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea after becoming prime minister.
Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which the new leader said he would follow, promised to not issue new licences, but honor existing licences.
Although details of the oil and gas plans are unclear, the new prime minister is expected to deliver on his manifesto commitment.
This means the Labor leader could vow to accelerate existing plans for more drilling in the North Sea, where many oil and gas licenses approved in recent years remain largely undeveloped for a variety of reasons.
As Burnham prepares to take office on Monday, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch warned the government’s plans were “airy fairy” in an interview with Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday.
He accused Burnham of being unaware of “the country’s priorities” and emphasized that the country needed a leader who was ready to “make tough decisions”.
