Yup. I was a little alarmed to see everyone celebrating on twitter when the U-turn was announced. The battle may be won but the war is far from over.. if we've learned anything about Starmer and Labour, they will try another tactic to make it mandatory through the backdoor when they think no-one is looking. As you point out, they lied through their teeth on the justification.. this tells me they have hidden and sinister goals for Digital IDs that they well not give up on so easily.
it runs the risk of becoming voluntary but compulsory - you want to talk to HMRC? you'll need a digital ID to do that, not that it's compulsory but the alternatives are long-winded, complicated and don't work (maybe you'll need to make an appointment for a face-to-face with your tax officer in Newcastle when you live in Truro). You want to see your GP? you'll need a digital ID to do that, not that it's compulsory but the alternative way of making an appointment might include waiting outside the surgery from 8am on the off-chance a free session turns up.
It needs to be totally scrapped and the £1.8bn (which doesn't exist) could go towards paying off some debts maybe.
Currently, HMRC and the NHS have separate and completely different registration systems and login formats. Just the NHS has about 30 different Health authority IT systems in place.
My point being that it has taken dozens of years to get to their individual registration and identification systems each tailored to specific needs. It will take another dozen years to try to find at least ONE common format for amalgamation into the proposed single inept system…which will probably start with seeing your driving licence or passport.
I do, however, fully agree that the money (which doesn’t exist) could be far better used - perhaps for filling potholes?
The very fact that this ID Scheme remains is itself an indication that ‘authorities’ will in future push for individuals to register into it. This can/will be done at birth and at each contact with many medical or social service or indeed any legal service. The mandate may be gone but the threat is still there.
Yup. I was a little alarmed to see everyone celebrating on twitter when the U-turn was announced. The battle may be won but the war is far from over.. if we've learned anything about Starmer and Labour, they will try another tactic to make it mandatory through the backdoor when they think no-one is looking. As you point out, they lied through their teeth on the justification.. this tells me they have hidden and sinister goals for Digital IDs that they well not give up on so easily.
Reviving this Government is key
Exactly! they need to drop the entire notion. Or it gives them a foothold to further it.
it runs the risk of becoming voluntary but compulsory - you want to talk to HMRC? you'll need a digital ID to do that, not that it's compulsory but the alternatives are long-winded, complicated and don't work (maybe you'll need to make an appointment for a face-to-face with your tax officer in Newcastle when you live in Truro). You want to see your GP? you'll need a digital ID to do that, not that it's compulsory but the alternative way of making an appointment might include waiting outside the surgery from 8am on the off-chance a free session turns up.
It needs to be totally scrapped and the £1.8bn (which doesn't exist) could go towards paying off some debts maybe.
Currently, HMRC and the NHS have separate and completely different registration systems and login formats. Just the NHS has about 30 different Health authority IT systems in place.
My point being that it has taken dozens of years to get to their individual registration and identification systems each tailored to specific needs. It will take another dozen years to try to find at least ONE common format for amalgamation into the proposed single inept system…which will probably start with seeing your driving licence or passport.
I do, however, fully agree that the money (which doesn’t exist) could be far better used - perhaps for filling potholes?
Common sense
The very fact that this ID Scheme remains is itself an indication that ‘authorities’ will in future push for individuals to register into it. This can/will be done at birth and at each contact with many medical or social service or indeed any legal service. The mandate may be gone but the threat is still there.
Spending £1.8bn is absurd as well and it will never come in on budget