UK's Burnham to scrap Starmer's digital ID initiative as he prepares to take the PM office on Monday

The soon-to-be UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to scrap outgoing British premier Keir Starmer's plans for digital ID cards in a “reset of priorities” as he is slated to enter Downing Street on Monday. The new leader of the Labour Party has instead plans to redirect the resources earmarked for the scheme towards tackling the cost of living.

According to the Guardian, the revalation was made by his team on Saturday as they gave insights into what lies ahead. Political analysts are seeing the move as an attempt to distance the incoming prime minister from unpopular choices made by his predecessor. It is pertinent to note that last year, a petition opposing the introduction of digital ID cards, when it was announced, garnered 3 million signatures.

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“One of the first things this government will do is put its focus where people need it right now: creating breathing space and delivering change they can feel in their everyday lives,” Burnham’s spokesperson said, ahead of his arrival at No. 10.

“That means all the time and resources that were going to be spent on a national ID scheme will go instead to where it’s most needed, such as helping with the cost of living." "This government is determined to bring power back to communities, instead of hoarding it in Whitehall. We will work every day to lift this country back up to where it belongs – with growth in every postcode, and hope in every heart," he added.

The money question

It remains unclear exactly how much money the decision to scrap the controversial project will save since the Starmer government never set out a clear budget for the initiative. However, the Office for Budget Responsibility suggested that scrapping it has the potential to save about £1.8 billion, but its estimate was rejected by officials.

Starmer first announced the plan for a digital ID scheme last September as part of his initiative to combat illegal working. The move was scheduled to roll out by 2029. At that time, he said that the proposed “Brit card” would be compulsory for those who needed to prove they were allowed to work in the UK amid growing fears about illegal immigration.

The card was supposed to include the holder’s residency status, name, date of birth and nationality, alongside their photograph. Starmer hailed the initiative and described it as "an enormous opportunity for the UK” and said the ID cards “will make it tougher to work illegally in this country, making our borders more secure”.

Interestingly, former UK PM Tony Blair's government passed the legislation designed to facilitate the introduction of ID cards back in 2006. The move was seen as Blair's way of angering the privacy campaigners. However, his plans never came into force and were ultimately scrapped by the coalition government in 2011.

With this in mind, the Tony Blair Institute was one of the strongest proponents of Starmer's initiative. “Make no mistake, if the government announces a universal digital ID to help improve our public services, it would be one of the most important steps taken by this or any government to make British citizens’ everyday lives easier and build trust,” its director of government innovation, Alexander Iosad, said.

However, the plan garnered backlash from opposition politicians and civil rights groups. “No system is immune to failure, and we have seen time and again governments and tech giants fail to protect people’s personal data. If world-leading companies cannot protect our data, I have little faith that Whitehall would be able to do better," Conservative MP David Davis said.

Meanwhile, the Tory leader Kemi Badenoch did not take a definitive position but described the policy as a “throwaway” announcement “designed to distract attention from Andy Burnham’s leadership manoeuvrings”.

With inputs from agencies.