Burnham-On-Sea’s MP has this week signed a cross-party letter to the Prime Minister opposing digital IDs.
Ashley Fox says the proposals to introduce the ID cards are “intrusive, expensive and won’t stop illegal immigration.”
In his joint letter to the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer he writes: “We are writing to register our profound and passionate opposition to your reported plans for a compulsory, UK-wide digital identity scheme.”
“Such a policy would represent an unprecedented level of state control over British citizens This is a fundamental change to the relationship between the individual and the state.”
“It’s dangerous, intrusive and deeply un-British. It risks building the foundations of a surveillance state – one that will inevitably expand in scope over time.”
The letter to the Prime Minister adds: “We urge you to abandon these plans immediately. At the very least, you must commit to bringing any proposal before Parliament for full scrutiny and a free vote – and to fully consulting the public before attempting to impose such a drastic measure on a reluctant country. The British people do not want this, and the British people do not need this.”
“Compulsory digital ID would mark a dangerous and permanent shift in the balance of power between government and governed. We will oppose it at every stage.”
Ashley Fox has thrown his support behind Rupert Lowe’s letter to Sir Keir Starmer, outlining his opposition to the digital ID scheme and Mr Lowe thanked the Tory MP, adding: “Let’s keep pushing”.
Under the plans, the IDs will not have to be carried day-to-day, but they will be compulsory for anyone wanting to work. The government says the scheme will be rolled-out “by the end of the Parliament” – meaning before the next general election, which by law must be held no later than August 2029.
It adds the digital IDs will be used to prove a person’s right to live and work in the UK. They will take the form of an app-based system, stored on smartphones in a similar way to the NHS App or digital bank cards.
Information on the holders’ residency status, name, date of birth, nationality and a photo will be included.
The government says the scheme is designed to curb illegal immigration by making it harder for people without status to find jobs. Ministers argue this is one of the key pull factors for migrants entering the UK illegally.
