Keir Starmer’s latest decision is completely tone deaf and plays into Nigel Farage’s hands
The PM has once again displayed questionable political judgement in the view of Express reporter Adam Toms.
Keir Starmer’s latest idea is a very unnecessary and politically disadvantageous one. (Image: Getty)
Keir Starmer and Labour’s polling is diabolical. Ipsos reported on Wednesday that, for the first time, Britons are split on whether Starmer or Nigel Farage would make a better Prime Minister, with 30% selecting both men. A mega poll from YouGov also revealed this week that, if a general election were held right now, Reform UK would win 311 seats, just 15 short of a majority. So, naturally, you would think that the Government would be trying to roll out popular policies, which are well worth the time and would result in a boost in favourability.
More than one million people have signed a petition against the introduction of digital ID cards, and, out of 4,920 UK adults polled by YouGov, 30% strongly oppose the idea, with only 14% strongly supporting the policy. Let’s leave that alone then, shall we? That would be a competent politician’s view. Unfortunately, it is not the Prime Minister’s. Sir Keir and his colleagues came out on Friday claiming the move could form “the bedrock of the modern state”, and insisting that it will help solve problems with the NHS and immigration.
Keir Starmer unveiled a plan to roll out digital ID cards yesterday. (Image: Getty)
I sympathise with the view of the Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who suggested that this money would be better spent on getting GP waiting times down, or fixing the social care system.
Ministers say that they have been impressed by the ID system in Estonia, which has apparently enabled better access to child benefits, health records and applications for nursery places.
They add that Australian citizens can “access a range of private services, from banking to buying alcohol, with their digital identification, reducing the need for multiple separate accounts and pieces of paper”.
In Denmark, meanwhile, “students can use their national digital ID to log in and automatically retrieve education records and qualifications in job and university applications”.
Do we not already have systems in place for these things?
And if these need to be improved, perhaps pursuing tailor made solutions instead of implementing something as blunt and fundamental as this one would be a better idea.
This is without even mentioning the existence of these miraculous things called driving licences, passports national insurance numbers and NHS numbers.
Another argument is that billions could be raised by “reducing fraud and leakages in welfare schemes”.
If the Government had managed to actually get recent legislation through instead of caving to backbenchers, we wouldn’t be worrying as much about this.
Nigel Farage will be celebrating as a result of Starmer’s decision. (Image: Getty)
Plus, money is there to be raised in a far better manner: creating a friendly and incentivising fiscal tax environment for businesses.
This seems a million miles away at the moment, and is set to become even farther from us after Rachel Reeves unveils her next Budget.
This policy is simply surplus to requirements, and it is frankly unfathomable to me as to why the Prime Minister and his team thought it would be a good idea to unveil at this time.
Various polls show loads and loads of voters currently loath Sir Keir and his party, with many having already switched to supporting Reform.
Lots of these will be impossible to bring back, and digital IDs, which tend to be opposed by right-leaning Brits in general, the very people Labour must convince to vote for the party again in 2029 – if that is indeed when the next national poll takes place.
Brits are seeing this as a gimmick, and can’t see how it will genuinely and tangibly improve their lives.
This is why Labour was elected in 2024 and if voters don’t feel better off in four years’ time, Sir Keir, or whoever is in charge of the red team at this point, will be ousted from the premiership.
What on earth are they thinking?
