I want to be absolutely clear: I am firmly against Labour’s plan to introduce national ID cards.
The government should not have this kind of power- especially not in peacetime. While it’s being sold as a way to crack down on illegal immigration, my fear is that it would open the door to wider state overreach, both now and under any future government. If we’re serious about tackling illegal immigration, the answer is to secure our borders properly, remove the incentives that encourage people to come here illegally, and make sure those who do so are returned.
Some people argue that ID cards could make life easier by speeding up access to public services. But let’s be honest, putting all of our personal information into one system at a time when cyber theft is rampant is a huge risk. Having worked in software engineering, I know that no system is ever 100% secure. Why would we hand such a valuable target to hostile states or organised crime?
This plan is still only at the early stages, but I’ll be opposing it every step of the way. I’ll keep you updated as it develops- and I’d really like to hear what you think, whether you agree with me or not.