SUPPORT for digital IDs has plummeted among the public since Keir Starmer announced a plan to introduce them.
In an awkward development for the UK Government, a More In Common poll has shown net support for digital ID cards fell from 35% in the early summer to -14% at the weekend following Starmer’s announcement, The Guardian has reported.
In what has been described as the Prime Minister's "reverse Midas touch", the findings suggest the proposal has suffered considerably from its association with an unpopular government.
It comes after a petition against the measure hit more than two million signatures, well beyond the 100,000 signatures required to be considered for debate in Westminster.
Starmer revealed on Friday his government's plan for digital IDs to be made mandatory for people working in the UK by 2029, saying it presented an "enormous opportunity" for the UK that would “make it tougher to work illegally in this country”.
In June, 53% of voters surveyed said they were in favour of digital ID cards for all Britons, while 19% were opposed.
Just 31% of people surveyed after Starmer’s announcement over the weekend said they were supportive of the scheme, with 45% saying they were opposed. Of those, 32% said they were strongly opposed.
The polling suggests public dissatisfaction with the government is behind the collapse in support, as it found that 58% of those who thought Starmer was doing a bad job as prime minister opposed digital IDs, while only 20% supported them.
On the other hand, of those who thought Starmer was doing a good job, 71% were supportive of digital IDs and 14% were opposed.
Starmer's personal approval ratings have fallen to a record low, with a recent survey suggesting he was now the most unpopular prime minister on record.
The Ipsos poll on Saturday found that 13% of voters were satisfied with Starmer, with 79% dissatisfied – a net rating of -66.
This was the lowest satisfaction rating recorded by the pollster for any prime minister going back to 1977.
Luke Tryl, the executive director for More In Common, said: “Digital ID is not unpopular in principle.
"Earlier this summer, we found a majority support the policy. Yet in perhaps the clearest sign of the Government’s low standing, it now seems to be suffering from a reverse Midas touch: once the Government announced the plans, support dropped.
“If the Government is to rebuild support for digital ID, it will have to start with making a clearer use case. The risk is that, in the face of organised opposition, a policy that had the potential to be popular now becomes another millstone for the government.”
Ministers have said digital ID cards will be used to prove a person’s right to live and work in the UK and will be compulsory for anyone who wants employment.
The photo IDs will be stored on smartphones in a similar way to digital bank cards and will contain information on the holder’s name, residency status, date of birth and nationality.
Labour left-wingers such as Ian Byrne and Richard Burgon have already spoken out against the plans, while former Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, called them an "affront to our civil liberties".
