Growing band of MPs call on government to introduce digital ID

Tom Scotson April 10, 2025 in Government and politics, News - 2 Minutes

It is understood that around 50 Labour representatives, mostly drawn from the 2024 election intake, are supportive of introducing a national electronic identity to save money and support the economy

A group of Labour MPs is urging the government to adopt digital ID cards to help drive economic growth and improve public sector efficiency.

Lola McEvoy and Jake Richards are the chief organisers of a group of Labour backbenchers, largely elected at the 2024 general election, who are pushing for ministers to use digital ID across a range of policy areas. The group has its own WhatsApp group, and plans to increase its campaigning on the issue in the coming weeks. The group believes it has the support of around 50 Labour MPs, and believes that the idea is gaining traction within prime minister Keir Starmer’s cabinet.

McEvoy, a Treasury Select Committee member and vice-chair of the Labour Growth Group, argued that digital ID would help the government’s bid to make Whitehall more efficient by streamlining departments.

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“I do think it’s Labour’s job to deliver this digitisation agenda, because it helps in every government department,” the MP for Darlington told PublicTechnology sister publication PoliticsHome. “It is a huge part of productivity in transforming the role of the state and improving government services.”

McEvoy and Richards have based the initial cost of the rollout on figures produced by the Tony Blair Institute think tank, a major proponent of digital ID. Its research estimates that it would cost £1bn, but adds that the government would recoup the costs in the long term through higher tax revenues and lower spending.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said the government was committed to using technology to improve public services, and it was an efficient way for people to prove their identification, but ruled out any plans to make it a mandatory requirement.

“Trusted providers following government rules are already conducting hundreds of thousands of digital checks monthly, helping people access employment, housing, and vital services more quickly and easily, while boosting productivity, driving economic efficiency, and supporting long-term growth as part of our Plan for Change,” a spokesperson said. “There are no plans to make digital IDs mandatory — people will still have the option to use physical documents if they prefer.”