Nearly 3 Million Sign Petition Against UK Digital ID Plan as Government Pushes Ahead With ‘Britcard’

A government plan to bring in digital ID cards has sparked one of the fastest-growing petitions in recent memory, with nearly three million people signing in just a week to demand it is scrapped.

The row erupted after Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed last Thursday that every adult in the UK will be required to hold a government-issued digital ID as part of new legislation.

The IDs, dubbed the “Britcard”, are being pushed as part of a wider effort to tackle illegal immigration. Under the proposals, anyone wanting to start a new job will need to prove their right to work using a digital ID.

The idea has immediately proved divisive. The petition against the scheme passed a million signatures in its first 24 hours, hit two million after two days, and is now closing in on three million. That puts it among the fastest-growing petitions the country has seen, alongside campaigns to repeal the Online Safety Act and calls for a general election.

The wording of the petition is blunt. It reads: “We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at. We think this would be a step towards mass surveillance and digital control, and that no one should be forced to register with a state-controlled ID system. We oppose the creation of any national ID system. ID cards were scrapped in 2010, in our view for good reason.”

With the petition gaining traction, the government has been forced to respond publicly on the official petitions site. Its statement confirmed that digital IDs will be introduced before the end of this Parliament, saying they would “help tackle illegal migration, make accessing government services easier, and enable wider efficiencies.”

The response continued: “The Government has announced plans to introduce a digital ID system which is fit for the needs of modern Britain. We are committed to making people’s everyday lives easier and more secure, to putting more control in their hands (including over their own data), and to driving growth through harnessing digital technology”.

“We also want to learn from countries which have digitized government services for the benefit of their citizens, in line with our manifesto commitment to modernize government.”

Officials promised a full public consultation in the coming weeks, working with employers, unions, civil groups and other stakeholders to design a scheme that is “secure and inclusive”.

Despite fears, a government spokesperson insisted last week that there will be no requirement to carry a digital ID or show it on demand. Instead, it will be mandatory only for proving the right to work. The digital IDs will be stored in a new Gov.uk digital wallet, an app that will sit on phones in a similar way to Google Wallet or Apple Pay.

Supporters of the plan say it will make it harder for people who come to the UK illegally to find work, removing one of the main pull factors. “It will send a clear message that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to work, deterring people from making these dangerous journeys,” the government said.

Even so, campaigners argue the proposals open the door to mass surveillance and erode privacy. With millions signing the petition in record time, this battle between government plans and public skepticism looks far from over.