AssetID: 55382705
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Government Drops Plans For Mandatory Digital ID To Work In UK
Caption: Government Drops Plans For Mandatory Digital ID To Work In UK. The UK government has scrapped plans to require workers to sign up to a new digital ID scheme in order to prove their right to work. Under revised proposals, right-to-work checks will still move fully online by 2029, using tools such as biometric passports but registration for a central digital ID will now be optional, not compulsory. The move marks a clear shift from last year, when Prime Minister Keir Starmer said people would not be able to work in the UK without a digital ID. The government had argued mandatory digital identification would help crack down on illegal working, particularly among undocumented migrants. Officials now say the scheme will have a broader purpose, focusing on making it easier for the public to access services rather than targeting immigration alone. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch welcomes the change, calling the policy a bad idea from the start. Meanwhile, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander tells the BBC the government remains committed to mandatory digital right-to-work checks, insisting digitisation will still play a key role in tackling illegal employment. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current Affairs & Politics,UK Government,scrapped plans,require,workers,sign up,new digital ID scheme,prove,right to work,protests,Kemi Badenoch,Prime Minister,Keir Starmer,digital identification,migrants
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