(MENAFN) UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has doubled down on his government’s proposed digital identification system, asserting that the initiative will simplify daily tasks and strengthen individual autonomy, even as it faces widespread backlash over privacy risks and financial implications.

The digital ID proposal, unveiled last month, has met fierce resistance and been labeled by critics as an example of Starmer’s “reverse Midas touch.” Public opposition has grown sharply, with more than 2.9 million people signing a petition against the measure. According to polling by More in Common, support for digital IDs, which stood at a net 35% earlier in the summer, dropped to minus 14% after the announcement as opposition overtook approval.

Starmer defended the plan, arguing that it represents a vital step toward modernizing Britain’s public systems and cutting red tape. “Digitization has already transformed so many parts of our lives – from how we shop, travel and bank,” he said in a Thursday statement. “But there’s so much more we can do to make people’s lives easier, simpler and more secure."

He further emphasized that “The digital ID is about putting power back in people’s hands, cutting the faff out of rummaging through drawers for documents and pointless bureaucracy we have accepted for too long while bringing Britain into the modern age.”

“This can be a boarding pass to getting on in life, helping people get a bank account, apply for a job or access childcare. Countries across the world are reaping the benefits of digital IDs, the British public should be able to as well,” he added.

According to the government, the proposed digital IDs would be available to all British citizens and legal residents, providing a secure and convenient way to verify identity digitally—especially for those without passports or driver’s licenses—when applying for employment, opening bank accounts, or arranging mortgages, eliminating the need for physical paperwork or paid verification services.

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