Wetin be UK plan for digital IDs wey go make am harder for pipo witout status to find jobs

UK govment don announce plans to introduce one digital ID system across di kontri, as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer tok say e go ensure say di kontri "borders dey more secure".

Pipo no go need carry di IDs evriwia, but e go dey compulsory for anyone wey wan work.

Govment say dem go roll out di scheme "by di end of di Parliament" – wey mean bifor di next general election, wey according to law gatz hold no later dan August 2029.

Why govment wan introduce digital IDs?

Govment go use di digital IDs prove pesin right to live and work for UK.

Di digital IDs go take di form of app-based system, stored on smartphones, e go dey similar to di NHS App or digital bank cards.

Di informate wey go dey inside go include di holder residency status, name, date of birth, nationality and foto.

Oga Sir Keir wey announce di scheme say: "You no go fit work for di United Kingdom if you no get di digital ID. E dey as simple as dat."

Di govment say di scheme dey designed to curb illegal immigration as e go make am harder for pipo witout status to find jobs.

Ministers argue say dis na one of di key pull factors for migrants wey dey enta UK illegally.

Employers no go need to rely on National Insurance number - wey dey currently dey use as part of proof of right to work - or paper-based checks.

At di moment, e dey quite easy to borrow, steal or use anoda pesin National Insurance number and dat na part of di problem for di shadow economy - pipo wey dey share National Insurance numbers for example. Di idea na say to attach foto to am go make am - in theory - harder to abuse dat system.

However, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch tok say while arguments dey "for and against" digital ID, to make am mandatory "go require proper national debate".

For one post on X, she say: "We go fit really trust [Labour] to implement dis expensive national programme wey go impact all of our lives and put additional burdens on law abiding pipo? I doubt am."

Liberal Democrats Shadow Attorney General Ben Maguire tell BBC say di party dey "struggle" to see how di policy go get meaningful impact on illegal migration.

Di digital ID go dey compulsory and wetin e go dey used for?

Digital ID go dey available to all UK citizens and legal residents, and dey compulsory in order to work.

However, for students, pensioners or odas wey no wan work, digital ID go dey optional.

Officials also stress say e no go function like traditional identity card: pipo no go need carry am around for public.

Ministers don rule out di need for di ID for access to healthcare or welfare payments.

However, dem dey design di system to integrate wit some govment services, to make applications simpler and reduce fraud.

Govment say, in time, digital IDs go make am easier to apply for services like driving licences, childcare and welfare. E go also simplify access to tax records.

Pipo wey no get smartphone go need di digital ID card?

Govment promise say di system go dey "inclusive" and e go work for dose wey no get smartphones, passports or reliable internet access.

Dem go launch one public consultation later dis year wey go torchlight oda alternatives – e go potentially include physical documents or face-to-face support - for groups like di older pipo or di homeless.

Which oda kontris don already get digital ID cards?

Uk govment don tok say dem go "take di best aspects" of digital ID systems used elsewhere around di world, including Estonia, Australia, Denmark and India.

Each of dis kontris get dia own unique system, but all of dem dey use am as way for pipo to prove who dem be wen dem dey access certain govment or banking services.

Many oda kontris also dey use digital ID of one kind or anoda, including Singapore, Greece, France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, di United Arab Emirates, China, Costa Rica, South Korea and Afghanistan.

UK don try introduce ID cards bifor?

Yes. Tony Blair Labour govt bin pass law for voluntary ID cards for di early 2000s.

However, di Conservative-led coalition bin scrap di scheme for 2011, and di argument dat time na say e too cost and intrusive.

UK bin use compulsory ID cards during wartime. Although dem stay in place for several years afta World War Two, Winston Churchill govment cancel dem for 1952 following criticism ova costs and police use.

Why some pipo dey against digital ID?

Civil liberties groups argue say even limited digital ID fit pave di way for a more intrusive system, and dem raise concerns about privacy, data security and govment overreach.

Big Brother Watch, alongside seven oda organisations, don write to di prime minister to urge am to abandon di plan. Dem say e go "push unauthorised migrants further into di shadows".

More dan one million pipo don sign petition against introducing digital ID cards, on di UK Parliament website. Petitions wey get more dan 100,000 signatures dey considered for debate for Parliament.

Oda prominent critics include di former Conservative cabinet minister David Davis – wey bin campaign against Labour ID card scheme for di 2000s.

E say "no system dey immune to failure" and e warn say govments and tech companies don repeatedly fail to protect pipo data.