(MENAFN) The UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has made a renewed effort to gain public backing for his government’s proposed digital identification system.

He emphasized that the initiative would streamline daily life and give citizens greater control, despite growing concerns over privacy and costs.

The digital ID scheme, unveiled last month, has encountered considerable resistance. Critics have described it as an example of Starmer’s “reverse Midas touch.”

Public opposition appears strong, with over 2.9 million people signing a petition against the proposal.

According to polling conducted by More in Common, support for digital ID cards stood at 35% in early summer. Following the official announcement, however, opposition grew stronger than support, leading to a net support rating of minus 14%.

Despite this pushback, Starmer maintained that the program would help modernize Britain and cut down on unnecessary bureaucracy.

“Digitization has already transformed so many parts of our lives – from how we shop, travel and bank,” he stated on Thursday. “But there’s so much more we can do to make people’s lives easier, simpler and more secure."

He added, “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."

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