KEIR Starmer has confirmed the UK Government will bring in compulsory digital identity cards in a move which will ignite a major debate on civil liberties.
The Prime Minister announced the policy, which is being billed as a tool to crackdown on illegal immigration, at a speech at the Global Progress Action Summit in London on Friday.
The controversial plans emanated from the Labour Together think tank, the group which propelled Starmer to power, and the Tony Blair Institute, the former prime minister's lobbying group.
Labour Together's proposals dubbed the scheme the "Brit Card", which has sparked confusion and upset, especially among some in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The UK Government has insisted that the cards will not be called "Brit Cards".
Speaking at the progressive gathering in London, Starmer said: "Our immigration system does need to be fair if we want to maintain that binding contract that our politics is built on, otherwise it undermines trust, undermines people's faith that we're on their side and their belief that the state can and will work for them.
"And that is why today I am announcing this Government will make a new free-of-charge digital ID mandatory for the right to work by the end of this parliament.
"Let me spell that out: You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID. It's as simple as that."
Elsewhere, Starmer claimed that politicians had been "squeamish" about saying things that are "clearly true".
He said: "For too many years, it’s been too easy for people to come here, slip into the shadow economy and remain here illegally because, frankly, we have been squeamish about saying things that are clearly true.”
The Prime Minister added: “It’s not compassionate left-wing politics to rely on labour that exploits foreign workers and undercuts fair wages.
“But the simple fact is that every nation needs to have control over its borders. We do need to know who is in our country.”
Defending the scheme on Good Morning Scotland ahead of Starmer's speech, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: "The Prime Minister will not be announcing a BritCard, it’s not called a BritCard, and it isn’t even a card.”
He claimed that it was the "way of the future", adding: "We’ve got boarding passes, train tickets, Tesco Clubcards on our phones already, and I can be very clear that you won’t be required to carry it or produce it except to prove your right to work in the United Kingdom."
The plans have already sparked furious backlash, with opponents lined up against the scheme on all sides of the political spectrum, including within the Labour Party.
After the plans were briefed to parts of the media on Thursday, the Scottish Government said: "The Scottish Government is opposed to the introduction of any card that is compulsory to have, compulsory to carry or that anyone can demand to see, including that of a digital ID.”
Labour left-wingers such as Ian Byrne and Richard Burgon have spoken out against the plans, as has Nigel Farage, who said "Brit Cards" would be used to "control and penalise" people, while Jeremy Corbyn called them an "affront to our civil liberties".
