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Rebooting the UK: Introducing Labour Together's BritCard Digital ID & Wallet
Step into the future with the BritCard, a revolutionary digital identity credential championed by Labour think-tank, Labour Together. Here's a lowdown on this groundbreaking proposal:
A Quick Overview
- Objective: The BritCard is designed to boost immigration enforcement, streamline checks for landlords and employers, and unlock easier access to government services.[1][4]
- Digital Natives: Unlike a physical card, the BritCard takes digital form, building upon the current One Login and Gov.UK Wallet. These platforms would be rebranded as the BritCard app.[1][2]
Crucial Features
- Compulsory: Every UK adult would be required to use the BritCard for numerous transactions and interactions with government services.[3][4]
- Consolidation: Over time, the BritCard could integrates existing ID systems, like national insurance numbers and driving licenses, offering a one-stop-shop for accessing services, such as the NHS.[1][3]
- Budget: The estimated cost for implementing the BritCard falls between £140 and £400 million.[1]
- Technology: The technology behind the BritCard already exists, and it leverages existing data sources without creating a centralized database.[4]
The Controversy
- Civil Liberties: The proposal has faced flak from civil liberties advocates, who are afraid it might unleash overenthusiastic government surveillance and tamper with privacy.[2][4]
- History Repeats: Similar initiatives, like the compulsory ID card scheme under Tony Blair in 2006, have met with fierce opposition and ended up being scrapped.[2][4]
The Political Ramifications
- A Potential Poll Tax: The BritCard has been compared to a potential "poll tax" for Labour, due to its mandatory nature and potential negative backlash.[3]
- Public Sentiment: Labour Together defends the proposal, asserting that public attitudes have shifted since the past attempts, but concerns linger about privacy and user compulsion.[4]
[1] Labelled Citation: bbc.com/news/technology-59074779[2] Labelled Citation: theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/15/labour-to-reveal-plans-for-compulsory-digital-identity-card[3] Labelled Citation: independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-brexit-policy-britcard-passports-boris-johnson-a9648796.html[4] Labelled Citation: theconversation.com/labours-britcard-proposal-for-a-digital-identity-system-could-either-take-a-page-from-indias-aadhaar-or-be-doomed-to-repeat-uk-failures-169612
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The BritCard, Labour Together's proposed digital identity credential, not only rebrands existing platforms like One Login and Gov.UK Wallet, but also leverages advanced cybersecurity technology, drawing upon already established data sources without creating a centralized database. Despite its potential benefits in streamlining checks for landlords, employers, and access to government services, the BritCard's compulsory nature and privacy concerns have sparked controversy among civil liberties advocates, echoing the backlash against similar initiatives in the past.
