South West Devon MP hails 'victory' as mandatory digital ID scheme is abandoned

The UK government has abandoned plans requiring workers to sign up to a new digital ID system to prove their right to work, following widespread criticism and public concern.

South West Devon MP Rebecca Smith said the decision was “the right one and a powerful reminder that listening to the public matters.” 

She added that many of her constituents had been “deeply uneasy about digital ID cards, recognising that they risked replacing trust and goodwill with surveillance.”

The scheme, first announced in September 2025 by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, was originally intended to tackle illegal working and modernise public services. 

At the time, Sir Keir said it would “cut the faff” for people trying to prove their identity and demonstrate their right to work.

“You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have a digital ID. It's as simple as that,” he said when the scheme was unveiled.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised Labour’s approach, describing Sir Keir as “clueless” and showing “no sense of direction whatsoever.”

The government now plans to move existing checks, such as those using biometric passports, fully online by 2029, while shifting the focus of digital ID from immigration enforcement to helping the public access services.

The policy had prompted one of the largest petitions in recent UK parliamentary history. Robbie Moore, MP for Keighley and Ilkley, told the House of Commons during the parliamentary debate on Monday 8 December 2025 that nearly 3 million people had signed the petition, making it “the fourth most signed petition in the history of parliamentary e‑petitions, comparable only to the recent petitions calling for a general election.”

Rebecca Smith cited the petition as evidence of public unease, saying: “That is why I was proud that 5,043 residents in South West Devon added their voices to the campaign against this scheme, joining nearly 3 million people nationwide who signed a petition calling for digital ID to be scrapped.”

Critics of the scheme, including civil liberties organisations, had warned of significant potential risks associated with mandatory digital identity systems.

Privacy groups such as Privacy International and Big Brother Watch highlighted concerns that digital ID infrastructure could be vulnerable to data breaches, user profiling, surveillance, exclusion and ‘function creep’, where a system begins to be used in more situations than originally proposed.

Big Brother Watch also warned that even decentralised systems could behave like centralised ones if unique identifiers link data across platforms, raising further privacy and tracking concerns.

Rebecca Smith highlighted practical access issues raised by opponents of the policy: “There were also widespread worries that tying benefits, healthcare and other public services to a smartphone-based ID could have caused significant disruption for people without easy access to technology. These practical concerns, alongside broader questions about civil liberties, made the scheme deeply unpopular with my constituents.”

She also drew attention to vulnerability concerns, saying: “Domestic abuse survivors were particularly concerned about the potential rollout of digital ID. Survivors and support groups warned that a smartphone-only system could be misused by abusers to restrict access to essential services or to monitor victims. While not everyone would have been affected in this way, the potential for serious harm made the scheme especially worrying for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.”

Rebecca Smith praised parliamentary opposition, saying: “Although I was unable to attend the digital ID debate on 8 December due to other business in the main chamber, I was grateful that colleagues from across Parliament spoke passionately against the proposal in a packed Westminster Hall. Their contributions reflected what so many constituents had already made clear.”

Reflecting on previous government policy, she added: “The previous Conservative government was right to reject mandatory digital ID in 2023. Instead, we provided secure identity documents without forcing everyone into a single digital system, while ensuring public services remained accessible in person or on paper. Tools such as the e-visa system already exist and should be used properly.”

Looking at the broader implications, Rebecca Smith said: “I remain adamant that, should the scheme have gone ahead, it would have posed a broader threat to individual liberty. It would have handed the state excessive control, cost billions of pounds, and still failed to address illegal immigration effectively. Scrapping mandatory digital ID is a win for common sense, for civil liberties and for people who value privacy, choice, and secure access to essential services. It is also an important victory for domestic abuse survivors, who deserve systems that keep them safe rather than create new risks.”

She concluded by reaffirming her commitment to her constituents: “I stand with my constituents and citizens across the country who have welcomed the government’s latest u-turn and who did not want the state intruding into their everyday lives. As always, I am here to serve you as your Member of Parliament. If there is anything I can do to help, please do not hesitate to contact me by email at rebecca.smith.mp@parliament.uk If you do not use email, I can also be contacted by phone on 01752 335666.”