THOUSANDS of people are signing a petition to stop the rollout of compulsory digital IDs.
On Thursday, it emerged Labour plans for Digital IDs to be made law for all UK adults, marking the latest screeching U-turn in Keir Starmer's government.
A petition against the policy, first launched in June by Maxim Sutcliff, has gained 288,087 signatures as of 9pm on Thursday evening, well beyond the 100,000 signatures required to be considered for debate.
However, the petition has rapidly gained traction in the hours since news broke that the policy could be announced.
In the space of five minutes on Thursday evening, The National recorded nearly 6000 people adding their name to the petition.
The petition states: "We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at.
"We think this would be a step towards mass surveillance and digital control, and that no one should be forced to register with a state-controlled ID system. We oppose the creation of any national ID system.
"ID cards were scrapped in 2010, in our view for good reason."
It comes as the Scottish Government firmly opposed the plans for the so-called "Brit Card", which would provide proof of an individual's right to live and work in the UK, and would need to be shown when starting a new job or renting a home.
A Scottish Government spokesperson 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.”
The policy has already garnered a mixed reaction from politicians, with some branding it as "excessive state interference" and a "dystopian mess".
Before it can be rolled out, the proposals would be subject to consultation and would first require legislation to be passed in the House of Commons.
