The Government is considering a proposal for a mandatory digital ID scheme called "BritCard" that would make us all reliant on a digital pass to go about our daily lives.
This system would fundamentally change the nature of our relationship with the state and turn the UK into a “papers, please” society.
We all want to be able to prove who we are safely, privately, and conveniently. But a mandatory digital ID is not a magic solution for all situations. It is inconsistent with the values that underpin a free society and poses serious risks to privacy, security and equality.
People in marginalised, vulnerable and minority groups are more likely to have reduced access to online services (e.g. people with disabilities, low income or the elderly), particularly where digital identity is a requirement.
A centralised digital ID scheme would also be a honeypot for hackers and foreign adversaries, creating huge digital security risks for our data.
Politicians have tried and failed to sell digital IDs to the British public as a vital solution to a range of issues including fighting terrorism and even protecting us from Covid.
But Britain has historically rejected various forms of mandatory ID. We must reject this one too.
