LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keith Starmer on Friday announced plans to introduce free digital ID for both nationals and those residing in the country in a bid to curb illegal migration.
The government said the drive will also make it simpler to apply for services like driving licenses, childcare and welfare, while streamlining access to tax records.
The new digital ID will be held on people’s phones and there will be no requirement for individuals to carry their ID or be asked to produce it, said the government.
However, it will be “mandatory as a means of proving your right to work,” a statement said.
“This will stop those with no right to be here from being able to find work, curbing their prospect of earning money, one of the key ‘pull factors’ for people who come to the UK illegally,” it added.
The announcement comes as Labour, the party in government, prepares to hold its annual conference, with Starmer under intense pressure, particularly over immigration.
“Digital ID is an enormous opportunity for the UK... it will also offer ordinary citizens countless benefits,” Starmer said.
“We are doing the hard graft to deliver a fairer Britain for those who want to see change, not division,” he added.
The UK has traditionally resisted the idea of identity cards, but more recent polling suggests support for the move.
UK to launch digital ID scheme to curb illegal migration
https://arab.news/64kcq
UK to launch digital ID scheme to curb illegal migration
- The government said the drive will also make it simpler to apply for services like driving licenses, childcare and welfare, while streamlining access to tax records
At least three dead as migrant boat capsizes off Greek island
- An accident occurred when the vessel approached the migrants’ wooden boat
- The search for survivors was continuing with four patrol boats
ATHENS: The bodies of three migrants were picked up in waters off the Greek island of Crete during a rescue effort involving a commercial ship, authorities said Friday.
Twenty migrants were rescued by the commercial vessel which was directed to the area on the orders of the Greek Search and Rescue Center.
According to Greek public broadcaster ERT, an accident occurred when the vessel approached the migrants’ wooden boat. As the passengers tried to climb up ladders into the vessel a sudden movement caused the small boat to capsize.
The search for survivors was continuing with four patrol boats, an aircraft, and two ships from the European border agency Frontex, a spokesperson for the Greek coast guard told AFP.
According to ERT, survivors said about 50 people were aboard the wooden boat.
A second boat carrying around forty migrants was spotted in the area, triggering another rescue operation.
For over a year, migrants have been attempting the perilous crossing from Libya to Crete, the gateway to the European Union.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 16,770 people seeking asylum in the EU arrived in Crete in 2025.
Faced with the surge in arrivals, the conservative Greek government suspended the processing of asylum applications for three months last summer, particularly for those arriving from Libya.
UNHCR says 107 people died or went missing in Greek waters in 2025.
