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The United Kingdom says it is going to scrap plans to introduce digital ID, the country’s revamped Labour government is now claiming.
Andy Burnham — who is set to be officially appointed British prime minister today — is reportedly planning on axing the scheme over its excessive cost, with his office telling the BBC that the money would be better spent elsewhere.
“This reprioritisation of public resource shows a change in direction towards improving everyday life and strengthening local economies over expensive national government schemes,” it said.
Spearheaded by outgoing premier Keir Starmer, the plan had faced numerous challenges relating to cost and privacy fears, with the Office for Budget Responsibility estimating it would cost the UK exchequer £1.8 billion to implement.
Labour had already attempted to roll back plans to make the system mandatory in an attempt to save the scheme, though this did little to assuage the fears of privacy campaigners who feared it could put citizens’ private data at risk.
Burnham’s announcement that Britain will be scrapping the scheme stands in stark contrast to Ireland’s growing digital ID push.
Dublin is continuing to forge ahead with the rollout of its digital identity wallet as part of broader EU efforts to tighten controls on the digital world.
The system — which is currently in late trial phases — will be used to prove a user’s identity both online and offline, with both public and private sector services set to use the system.
Government ministers have been keen to see the system used in conjunction with a ban on young people accessing social media, insisting that such a prohibition is necessary to protect teens.
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