More than 40 Labour MPs have signed an open letter calling on the government to introduce a comprehensive digital ID system to help manage migration and improve access to public services.
The letter, supported by members of the Labour Growth Group, the Red Wall Group, and Blue Labour, argues that a digital ID system would help address illegal, off-the-books employment a key pull factor for migrants entering the UK unlawfully.
Jake Richards, Labour MP for Rother Valley and one of the letter’s signatories, told the press: “We are moving to an era of digital ID. The government knows this they’re introducing digital driving licences and passports but we want them to move faster and bring the public with them.”
While the proposed system would not replicate the compulsory identity card scheme introduced by former Prime Minister Tony Blair and scrapped in 2011, it echoes Blair’s more recent calls for a digital ID framework to “know precisely who has a right to be here.”
The MPs argued that the current immigration system is riddled with inefficiencies and that digital IDs could improve tracking and processing of individuals entering the UK unlawfully. They also said the system could transform public services by streamlining access to the NHS, tailoring education services, and reducing benefits fraud.
The call comes amid growing political pressure to control illegal migration. Over 5,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year, according to the latest Home Office figures.
Despite strong public support for national ID cards, concerns remain over privacy, data protection, and state surveillance. The MPs acknowledged these issues in their letter, stating that any programme must be developed with care and with respect for individuals’ privacy.
Currently, the government has no plans to introduce a mandatory digital ID. However, a government spokesperson highlighted ongoing efforts to use technology to modernise public services, including the rollout of a digital driving licence and a digital wallet for government-issued documents.
“Digital identities offer a secure, efficient way for people to prove who they are without physical documents,” the spokesperson said, adding that trusted providers are already conducting hundreds of thousands of digital checks monthly.
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