SCOTLAND’S political parties have united in opposition to Keir Starmer’s plans for digital ID - except Scottish Labour.
On Friday, the Prime Minister announced plans that the identification will be mandatory as part of an attempt to crackdown on immigration and illegal working.
But, human rights organisation Amnesty International has warned that the plans will “put the rights of all people in the UK at risk”, and a petition calling for the plans to be scrapped reached one million just hours after the announcement was made.
The plans stemmed from Labour Together, the think tank that propelled Starmer into the Labour leadership, and the Tony Blair Institute, but reports that it will be called a “Brit Card” have been refuted by the UK Government.
We asked all of Scotland’s political parties - who have MSPs in Holyrood - for their positions on Starmer’s latest policy.
SNP
On Thursday night, the Scottish Government came out against the plans.
A 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.”
First Minister John Swinney , writing on X/Twitter, added: “I am opposed to mandatory digital ID - people should be able to go about their daily lives without such infringements.
“That aside, by calling it BritCard, the Prime Minister seems to be attempting to force every Scot to declare ourselves British.
“I am a Scot.”
Share if you agree. pic.twitter.com/t5iM5Qc6qk
— Stephen Flynn MP (@StephenFlynnSNP) September 25, 2025
The party’s social media channels, and politicians including SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn , also shared a graphic that read: “Say ‘no thanks’ to Starmer’s Brit-Card”.
Scottish Greens
MSP Maggie Chapman dubbed Westminster’s plans as "intrusive and authoritarian”, adding that they will only increase mass surveillance and allow the British Government to target refugees and other marginalised communities.
“The compulsory nature of these cards is an affront to democracy and choice and an attempt to turn all of our public service workers into border guards,” she said.
“Labour is always telling us that they cannot afford to support pensioners in the winter or fund services we all rely on, but they have found hundreds of millions of pounds for a scheme like this that wasn’t even in their manifesto."
She added that no Scottish MPs were elected on a commitment to introduce the “repressive and unwanted ID cards”.
“It is crucial that MSPs from all parties stand together to ensure that they are not forced on Scotland without a vote at Holyrood ,” Chapman added.
And, co-leader Gillian Mackay wrote on X/Twitter: “A desperate throw back to the worst days of Tony Blair from an increasingly desperate party. Making people carry ID cards was wrong then and it is wrong now.
“I certainly won’t be carrying one of Keir Starmer ’s so-called Brit cards and I know that many others will resist them too.”
Alba Party
Neale Hanvey, Alba’s depute leader, said that the party is “firmly opposed” to Starmer’s plans.
“Digital ID cards are unwanted, unnecessary, and undemocratic,” he said.
“The risks to our private information are enormous, opening the door to surveillance, abuse, and control. The so-called Britcard is nothing more than a desperate gimmick, pandering to prejudice while eroding the fundamental liberties of ordinary citizens.
"If the government really wants to improve security, then they should direct the police towards solving crimes instead of monitoring lawful discussion.
“Given Starmer’s poor track record of limiting free speech, it is a legitimate concern that a digital ID would be abused to further such authoritarian purposes."
Scottish LibDems
Susan Murray, MP for Mid Dunbartonshire, said the party “cannot support mandatory digital ID where people are forced to turn over their private data just to go about their daily lives”.
“People shouldn’t be turned into criminals just because they can’t have a digital ID, or choose not to,” she added.
“This will be especially worrying for the millions of older people, people living in poverty and disabled people- who are more likely to be digitally excluded.”
Despite party members at the LibDems conference in Bournemouth earlier this week backing a debate on changing their position on ID cards, leader Ed Davey said in response to Starmer’s announcement that the LibDems “will fight against it tooth and nail”, as they had with Tony Blair’s attempts to bring in the policy.
Scottish Tories
Russell Findlay has also come out strongly against the plan, suggesting it “strikes at the heart of individual freedom and our fundamental right to privacy”.
“It is an over-the-top attempt at state control and it is blatant overreach by Sir Keir Starmer,” the Scottish Tory leader said. “In a desperate bid to distract from the chaos in the Labour party, he is putting forward a nonsensical plan that won’t work.
“Reputable employers already check their workers’ ID before hiring and the state already collects enough data on citizens for passports and other documents.”
Findlay challenged Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to “show some backbone” and tell Starmer to ditch Digital ID plans.
Reform UK
Defector Graham Simpson, who was a Scottish Tory MSP until a few months ago, described the plans as “authoritarian” and “deeply worrying”.
Simpson said: “This is just a cynical attempt by a weak Prime Minister to appear tough on immigration while ignoring the real issues—border enforcement, visa abuse, and criminal trafficking networks. Starmer’s digital ID plan is a gimmick, not a solution.
“I will be trying to raise this in the Scottish Parliament because this is an issue that affects everyone. We must stop the Keir Card in its tracks.”
Nigel Farage also spoke out against the policy, writing on X/Twitter: “It will make no difference to illegal immigration, but it will be used to control and penalise the rest of us.
“The state should never have this much power.”
Scottish Labour
In response to our request for the party’s position on Digital ID and calls for Sarwar to reject them from the Tories, the party’s deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “This is yet another desperate bid for attention from Russell Findlay – a man counting down the days until the electorate puts him out of his misery.
“No-one is listening to the policy advice of Liz Truss’ top cheerleader in Scotland.
“Labour will continue to work to clean up the mess the Tories left behind and renew our country, and Russell Findlay and the Scottish Tories will continue to sink further and further into political irrelevance.”
Asked to clarify if the party and Sarwar supported Starmer’s plans or not, Scottish Labour did not respond.
Elsewhere, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander attacked Swinney for “playing politics” over his comments and insisted digital ID is the “way of the future”.
