United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to announce a plan requiring all working adults in Great Britain to obtain a government-issued digital identity card, citing efforts to address illegal immigration as the primary justification. The proposal, reportedly slated for a Friday speech, would mandate that individuals presenting a digital ID app on their smartphones be verified against a central database to confirm eligibility for employment or housing.

The scheme aims to replace current physical ID requirements, which officials claim are vulnerable to fraud. French President Emmanuel Macron has previously highlighted the UK’s lack of mandatory ID cards as a factor attracting migrants attempting Channel crossings. Critics, including Nigel Farage, have condemned the initiative, arguing it represents a tool for population control. Meanwhile, eight civil liberties groups warned that mandatory digital IDs could drive unauthorized migrants further into hidden networks.

Supporters, such as Lord Blunkett, cited potential benefits including age verification, fraud prevention, and deterring illegal migration. The plan follows earlier government explorations of digital ID systems, drawing inspiration from Estonia’s model. A legal overhaul would be necessary to implement the policy amid rising migration pressures and a backlog of over 75,000 asylum cases.