Sir Keir Starmer is weighing up the introduction of digital ID cards as part of a broader crackdown on illegal migration, particularly the rise in small boat crossings across the English Channel.
The proposal, which would mark a significant shift in the UK’s approach to immigration enforcement, is under “active consideration,” Downing Street confirmed.
Though not yet confirmed as compulsory, the use of digital identification is now on the table as ministers assess tools to curb the surging number of illegal entries.
Speaking on Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman stated: “We’re willing to look at what works when it comes to tackling illegal migration, and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Mr McFadden, referenced that over the weekend in terms of applications of digital ID to the immigration system.”
He went on to stress that the priority is addressing the drivers of illegal migration—namely, pull factors such as illegal working and the shadow economy.
“We’ve made significant progress when it comes to illegal working, surged arrests by 50%, but there’s more to do in this space.”
If implemented, this could represent the most ambitious digital overhaul of the UK’s immigration system in decades, following years of reluctance from governments to touch ID legislation.
While previous administrations, including those led by Labour’s Sir Tony Blair, have floated similar concepts, the idea of national ID cards has long been a political hot potato. Blair himself backed digital IDs as a modern solution, but public resistance stalled progress.
Now, Labour’s Pat McFadden has echoed that view, calling Britain “behind the curve” on digital identity, and pointing to Estonia as a model. There, citizens use secure digital IDs for healthcare, banking, employment and more.
In an interview with The Times, McFadden said the UK system could help reduce small boat crossings and combat benefit fraud, ensuring individuals prove their identity before being allowed to work.
Not everyone’s on board. Civil liberties watchdog Big Brother Watch described the proposal as a step toward a surveillance state.
“Mandatory digital ID cards would lead to a dystopian nightmare. Britons would be forced through digital checkpoints to go about our everyday lives,” said interim director Rebecca Vincent, speaking on BBC Radio 4.
She further warned that the system would do little to deter illegal migration, instead placing the burden on law-abiding citizens.
Supporters of the idea, however, say the root of the small boats crisis lies in the UK’s informal job market.
The Tony Blair Institute highlighted that many asylum seekers are lured by the promise of under-the-table employment.
Executive director of politics, Ryan Wain, argued: “Digital ID cards just completely shut that down… simply put, it would put an end to paper IDs, which are easily forged.”
France has repeatedly voiced concerns that migrants see the UK as a soft target for illegal employment. Many find cash-in-hand jobs in delivery, cleaning, or hospitality – even though they are not legally permitted to work upon arrival.
“People shouldn’t be able to come to the UK and work illegally if they don’t have the right to work. If there are pull factors like that, we should deal with them,” McFadden said.
Meanwhile, Downing Street also confirmed that ministers are actively exploring alternatives to asylum hotels, including modular buildings and repurposed industrial sites.
With public anger mounting over the use of hotels to house migrants, Starmer is now under pressure to act swiftly. He is expected to chair a key ministerial meeting focused on stepping up the pace.
The PM’s spokesman said: “He said it was easy to understand the frustration people feel at the level of illegal crossings and the sight of asylum hotels in their communities.”
The government is looking to:
- Intensify cooperation with French authorities
- Crack down further on illegal employment
- Accelerate closure of asylum hotels
- Expand alternative accommodation options
- Speed up the return of individuals with no legal right to remain
Digital ID cards, once politically taboo, may now be part of a broader arsenal aimed at restoring order to Britain’s borders. Whether the British public accepts them, however, remains to be seen.
