Government drops plans for mandatory digital ID to work in UK

Britain’s latest policy plot twist: the government shelved mandatory digital ID for workers, but plans to move existing passport-style checks fully online by 2029. Cue political fireworks — the Conservative leader called the idea a “rubbish policy” and said Sir Keir is “blowing around like a plastic bag in the wind,” while Labour insisted digital checks will still be mandatory. Polls cratered after the announcement, and three million people signed a petition against digital IDs. Online, the mood swung from relief to suspicion. One commenter warned “for now,” pointing to Tony Blair’s institute pushing the idea. Others clapped the U‑turn but demanded clarity: what’s actually changing?

Pragmatists predict a US-style E‑Verify system — basically a service that checks your documents against official records — while cynics dunked on Britain’s record of mega IT flops: “spend billions on a never ending software project.” Techy optimists say a smoother online process could help catch illegal working; privacy hawks fear it’s a slippery slope to surveillance. The memes? “Paper beats app,” “digital passports you pay to print,” and riffs on that “plastic bag” line. The biggest drama: the government’s string of U‑turns has MPs and commenters asking if anything announced today survives tomorrow.