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Keir Starmer says every worker in the UK will need a mandatory digital ID card soon – but is this less about illegal immigration than it is a distraction from his own problems?

The prime minister wants us to think the scheme will crack down on illegal working, make borders secure, and provide “countless benefits” for citizens.

The plan is to put the ID system on smartphones, like the NHS app – containing details such as the holder’s name, date of birth, nationality or residency, and a photo.

But critics have pointed out that:

• Employers already carry out right-to-work checks.

• Illegal working in the so-called “grey economy” won’t vanish with a digital app.

• The real impact is likely to be more hoops for law-abiding workers to jump through, and more red tape for employers.

Conservative shadow minister Helen Whately admitted she could “see the rationale” but branded compulsory ID cards a non-solution that “won’t stop the boats”.

Liberal Democrats, the SNP, and others have warned against a mandatory scheme that forces people to hand over private data.

So why press ahead?

The answer may lie in Starmer’s political troubles.

Within weeks of Parliament returning from the summer recess, his government has been rocked by scandal and resignation:

• Peter Mandelson was sacked as ambassador after his links to Jeffrey Epstein came to light.

• Angela Rayner quit as deputy PM after a stamp duty scandal.

• Senior aide Paul Ovenden walked after derogatory leaks about Diane Abbott.

Now, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is openly weighing a leadership challenge, with some Labour MPs privately urging him on while others corral the metaphorical wagons around the current leader.

Burnham’s alternative economic policies — higher taxes on the wealthy, council house investment, cuts for low earners — stand in sharp contrast to Starmer’s own record.

The Labour leader’s response was to liken Burnham’s proposals to Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-budget of 2022 — a comparison so absurd, it made him look desperate.

Now this.

It ticks every box to be described as a “dead cat” tactic:

• It is emotive, guaranteed to spark a row about privacy, authoritarianism, and immigration.

• It will dominate the headlines, pushing talk of Burnham and leadership cracks out of the news cycle.

• It lets Starmer posture as “tough” against illegal migration, while his authority is fraying elsewhere.

But it is also high-risk. ID cards are one of the most divisive issues in UK politics.

Tony Blair’s government tried to bring them in 20 years ago and failed amid public outrage.

Starmer may find his attempt not only fails to distract, but deepens mistrust.

But it seems clear that the real story here isn’t about border security – it’s about a prime minister flinging out distractions to refloat a leadership that is on the rocks.

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