Downing Street has confirmed that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is actively considering the introduction of digital ID cards as part of a sweeping effort to curb illegal migration, particularly the persistent problem of small boat crossings across the English Channel. The announcement, made on September 2, 2025, signals a potential shift in the UK’s approach to immigration enforcement, with the government now weighing a technology-driven solution that has long divided public opinion and political leaders alike.
While the government has yet to commit to whether digital ID cards would be mandatory, the prospect of a national rollout has gained traction in recent days. Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, has been especially vocal, stating that Britain is “behind the curve” on digital identification and calling for urgent adoption. According to The Independent, McFadden pointed to the example of Estonia, where citizens are assigned a unique identification number, as a possible model for the UK.
“People shouldn’t be able to come to the UK and work illegally if they don’t have a right to work,” McFadden told The Times, highlighting the role that digital IDs could play in deterring both illegal migration and benefit fraud. He added, “France has talked about pull factors in the context of the migration debate. If there are pull factors like that, we should deal with them.”
Supporters of the digital ID proposal argue that the cards—potentially called “BritCards” according to the think-tank Labour Together—would serve as smartphone-based credentials, consolidating essential personal data such as digital driving licenses, proof of age, and healthcare records. Labour Together’s summer 2025 report, submitted to No 10, recommended that the cards be “mandatory, universal and free of charge,” asserting that a “mandatory, universal, national identity credential” could help the UK secure its borders and combat illegal working.
Backbench Labour MPs Jake Richards and Adam Jogee echoed this sentiment in June 2025, describing the proposed ID cards as a “full, country-wide effort” that would allow people to prove their right to be in the UK. Proponents believe that digital IDs would make it significantly harder for migrants to find work in the informal economy—a key “pull factor” that, according to France and the Tony Blair Institute, is exploited by criminal gangs to lure vulnerable people into making dangerous Channel crossings.
“Digital ID cards just completely shut that down… simply put, it would put an end to paper IDs which are easily forged,” explained Ryan Wain, executive director of politics at the Tony Blair Institute, as reported by The Independent. The Institute argues that the shadow economy is a major driver of small boat crossings, with gangs “literally selling this as part of their pitch” to would-be migrants.
Despite these arguments, the proposal has drawn sharp criticism from civil liberties groups. Big Brother Watch, a leading privacy advocacy organization, warned that mandatory digital ID cards would herald a “dystopian nightmare” in which Britons would be “forced through digital checkpoints to go about our everyday lives.” Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, interim director Rebecca Vincent argued that such measures would not stop small boat crossings but would instead “simply put the burden on the already law-abiding citizens to prove their right to be here.”
The government’s official stance remains cautious. No 10 has previously avoided endorsing digital ID cards as a deterrent, even amid repeated calls from senior Labour figures, including former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair, who has long championed the measure. Asked on September 2 whether the government would consider making the cards compulsory, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said, “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.”
The spokesman emphasized the government’s determination to address the “drivers of illegal migration,” tackle “pull factors,” and intensify efforts to crack down on illegal working. “We’ve made significant progress when it comes to illegal working, surged arrests by 50%, but there’s more to do in this space,” he said. The government has not yet presented any concrete proposals on whether digital ID cards would be mandatory, but the ongoing discussions underscore the urgency with which the issue is being treated.
In parallel with the digital ID debate, Downing Street is exploring additional measures to manage the UK’s asylum system. As pressure mounts to empty hotels currently housing migrants, plans are under discussion to accommodate asylum seekers in modular buildings and at old industrial sites. On September 2, the Prime Minister’s spokesman confirmed that Sir Keir would be gathering ministers to plan further action on illegal migration, including options around digital ID, accelerating the closure of asylum hotels, and finding better forms of accommodation.
“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 spokesman reported, referencing Sir Keir’s remarks to his Cabinet. The Prime Minister was scheduled to chair a ministerial meeting later that day to consider how to “go further and faster” in combating illegal crossings. “This includes continuing to work with the French authorities, cracking down on pull factors and illegal working, including exploring options around digital ID, accelerating the closure of hotels and looking at better forms of accommodation, and driving further progress returning people with no right to be here.”
Labour Together’s report and the statements from government ministers reflect a growing consensus among some policymakers that digital IDs could be a powerful tool in the fight against illegal migration and benefit fraud. Supporters point to the potential for digital IDs to consolidate information, simplify interactions with public services, and help tackle rogue landlords as well as illegal working. But the question of whether the cards should be mandatory remains hotly contested, with privacy advocates and some members of the public wary of the broader implications for civil liberties and daily life.
As the debate intensifies, the government faces a delicate balancing act: addressing public concerns about migration and the integrity of the UK’s borders while safeguarding individual freedoms and privacy. With Downing Street insisting that “the point here is looking at what works,” the coming weeks are likely to see further scrutiny of digital ID systems, their effectiveness, and their impact on British society. For now, the country waits to see whether Sir Keir Starmer’s government will take the historic step of introducing a digital ID card system—and what shape such a system might ultimately take.
