UK to propose mandatory digital ID cards to curb illegal migration

The government is set to propose mandatory digital identity cards for every adult in the United Kingdom as part of a plan to curb illegal migration, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to announce in a speech in London on Friday. The so called BritCard would be issued to those with the right to live and work in the UK, held in a government smartphone app and checked against a central database when people start new jobs or seek to rent homes, according to reports. The scheme would be subject to public consultation and require primary legislation.

Officials and ministers have argued the system could make it harder for people without lawful status to access work and housing. The Prime Minister told the BBC earlier this month that an ID card system could play an "important part" in stopping illegal migration and that "we all carry a lot more digital ID now than we did 20 years ago." Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has also voiced support, saying she believes digital ID can help with enforcement of illegal working and other laws.

Backers point to recent policy work urging a return to ID options. A report from a Labour-linked think tank estimated set up costs between 140 million...