'People's Panel' to check if UK wants controversial Digital ID will cost £630K

The UK government will spend about £630,000 running a discussion panel on its digital identity card plans, which minister James Frith said will "consider different perspectives and debate trade-offs" alongside a formal consultation. parliament buildings with buses going by Legacy systems blamed as ministers promise no repeat …

[JessicaRabbit]

So you have to go during work hours and undoubtedly have to travel to London or close by and it's voluntary so anyone who can't afford to travel or take time off is basically automatically excluded. Talk about selection bias.

[elsergiovolador]

It's funny because everyone knows this policy was bought and is already decided and yet they engage in this theatre.

We know they lie, they know they lie, they know we know they lie and they still lie. Russian standard in Britain.

[Tron]

A process as bent as a paperclip.

There is a slim chance that they can dump it without losing face when Labour get vigorously screwed over in the May elections. They can dump it with Starmer as one of his follies.

Digital ID is just another way to lose votes, and they already have enough of those to lose their deposit at the next election.

It is a classic uniparty policy, that can be started by one regime and concluded by the next, each blaming the other, whilst waving it through, like the OSA.

I have zero faith in the British government, whatever party is in power. If the ex-colonies want some reparation, this is it. We are now getting treated like colonial subjects and getting a taste of how they felt.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: when Labour get vigorously screwed over

If you think that Farage/Reform and Restore will do any better, I have a nice bridge to sell you. Farage will just follow the policies of his boss, Donald Trump. I would have loved to see him storm out of the SCOTUS today when his attempt at outlawing birthright citizenship (14th Amendment and later legislation) was shut down at the oral argument stage.

I'm waiting for Farage to introduce the UK version of Project 2025 where he details cuts to the NHS, pensions and every other benefit, a UK DOGE and worse.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: when Labour get vigorously screwed over

ALL of the potential options for the next UK government look utterly shit, just in different ways. They will all screw over the majority of the population in multiple ways.

The country is fucked.

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: A process as bent as a paperclip.

"It is a classic uniparty policy, that can be started by one regime and concluded by the next, each blaming the other, whilst waving it through, like the OSA."

That happened with OSA. However this was tried by the previous Labour govt and got dumped after the next election although maybe the fact that the next govt was a coalition with the Lib Dems might have affected that.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: A process as bent as a paperclip.

From memory the Tories said before that election that they would scrap the ID Cards if they got in.

A woman came to the door on a Saturday morning a couple of weeks ago and asked for what I was going to look for when picking candidates for the upcoming election. She was canvassing on behalf of the local Labour party nominees and I replied scrap the proposed ID cards, deal with a particular transport issue, and restrict access to the electoral roll for political parties. Asked if I was going to vote I said yes always do and yes I know I need to bring ID, I’ve got a driving License and a Passport thank you. She made a note of my replies and buggerd off, promising that the candidates would hear my views.

Later that same day a bloke appeared canvassing for the Conservatives and did virtually the same routine. I gave the same identical responses and he too promised that my views would be heard by the candidates etc. Both of them asked if I was going to vote or had any inclination at all to vote for Reforn or any of the other further right parties. I said No to both of them, I said that I had voted Count Binface in the last London Mayoral election so that the Britain First candidate would hopefully come last. He came second last behind Count Binface with another fringe candidate coming last.

[JimboSmith]

Re: A process as bent as a paperclip.

You’re right about the Conservatives being against ID cards before the 2010 elections. Failing Grayling Is quoted in the Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/jul/06/id-cards-legislation-fines-tories saying so:

The shadow home secretary, Chris Grayling, told MPs: "One of the first acts of a Conservative government will be cancelling the ID cards scheme. The scheme and the register are both an affront to British liberty and will have no place in a Conservative Britain. They are also a huge waste of money."

According to the BBC timeline https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10164331 the majority of people were against them last time.

June 2003:

The results of the public consultation are in and the Home Office admits that more than 5,000 of the 7,000 responses were against the scheme.

Oh and the BBC say it cost billions last time as well.

[BartyFartsLast]

The panel is not to decide if we want it, it's to push the idea and dispel uncertainty. To be given "balanced" views and information.

I.E. a complete sodding stitchup where the government gets to say "we asked you and you said ok so we're doing it, now, papiere bitte"

[43300]

"So you have to go during work hours and undoubtedly have to travel to London or close by and it's voluntary so anyone who can't afford to travel or take time off is basically automatically excluded. Talk about selection bias."

And even if you are prepared to do all that, your views will be completely ignored if they don't agree with the pre-determined outcome.

Does anyone still believe that these government whitewashing exercises actually achieve anything?

[Naich]

I got an invite. The in-person sessions are in Birmingham on Saturdays and Sundays. You get accommodation, travel, and food paid for. If you complete all the sessions you get paid £550.

[ParlezVousFranglais]

with the output "weighed alongside the broader consultation feedback"

A euphemism for a box ticking exercise - we already know it's coming anyway regardless of who says what, and we already know that Crapita will eventually deliver a half-baked solution way over budget and six years late, in such a way that forces every other government system to have to undertake a complete redesign in order to be able to use it

They will of course call it a success....

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: with the output "weighed alongside the broader consultation feedback"

It can be an even bigger success if they double the number of PHBs and it arrives 12 years late and too over budget to achieve feature completion.

[Captain Hogwash]

Re: with the output "weighed alongside the broader consultation feedback"

If it's coming anyway then the later it is, the more successful I will consider it.

[Disgusted of Cheltenham]

Re: with the output "weighed alongside the broader consultation feedback"

There was a relevant consultation last year on digital evidence, to which no response has yet been seen, and now we have (another) consultation on ID whose results will not be available to this people's panel. With no proposed architecture there is no costing and no impact assessment (or any type) for the lucky few to consider. Where is the requirements capture? And interoperability? Why not just become Estonian e-residents- apart from overloading their system? (That would require a change to a basis of entitlement rather than claim, which is a bigger topic and TB was against it.)

The whole business model, particularly the split between public, private or both remains unanswered, not least becasue it is logically impossible to do all the things already promised at the same time. If the government system is any good and free then why compete and what is the expected ROI? Doesn't the NHS already have an adequate system? A lot of clever and motivated people have spent time on trying to find a way forward since 2010, looking at technology, the law, liability, commerical models, EU interoperability, diversity, equality, children, tourists, inward investment, privacy, security, multi-lingual.....

It isn't explained why this 'random' sample is waiting until the end of the consultation but then not using its results. But at least it's not arranged like the Verify roadshow in Birmingham where the answers-without-time-for-questions session was held after the closure of the consultation.

Maybe they should have a reading list: The Crosby report, the NAO reports, ....

[CrazyOldCatMan]

Re: with the output "weighed alongside the broader consultation feedback"

Sir Humphrey would be proud of that bit of semantically-null doublespeak.

(Civil Service translation: "We've already consulted the people that matter [1] and they have 10 votes. You only have one.")

[1] The ones that went to the right schools and can pay for the expensive lunches required.

[Guy de Loimbard]

Ihren Ausweis, bitte

That is all.

I also note this statement from the article: ""Should the recently announced introduction of ID cards achieve universal coverage....." So it's a done deal is it?

So what is the point in this "consultation" apart from playing some weird theatrical act and of course, relieving the treasury of more taxpayer money.

[Cav]

Re: Ihren Ausweis, bitte

"Should the recently announced introduction of ID cards achieve universal coverage....." So it's a done deal is it?

Your argument does not follow from that statment. "Should the" means IF. You can say that it's a done deal if you wish but that quoted statement does nothing to indicate so.

[David M]

Re: Ihren Ausweis, bitte

No, the telling statement is, "The People's Panel will debate how a digital ID can work for everyone."

There's the done deal. No question of whether we should have digital ID at all, just a debate on how it will work.

[Anonymous Coward]

Buy way into Irelands

If they want one, offer a pile of money to Ireland to buy your way in … as theirs is nearly finished..

https://www.biometricupdate.com/202602/use-of-digital-id-to-access-essential-services-jumps-in-ireland

Some common purpose.

- Common travel area entitlements

- Many dual nationals

- Will be compatible with EU Digital ID schemes

- Won’t reinvent the wheel

- Is already in fucking English

[elsergiovolador]

Re: Buy way into Irelands

What about wine and steak and freebies?

[Paul Herber]

Re: Buy way into Irelands

'Is already in fucking English'

Excuse me. The word fecking is used in Ireland.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Buy way into Irelands

Not exclusively. Fecking is polite terminology for fucking. Esp. If you are older or caricatured on BBC/RTE as Agnes Brown.

Use case: “Ireland RFU lost the 6 Nation’s to the fucking French”.

[Ken G]

Re: Buy way into Irelands

At least the French beat us on the field and it was a better option than having to read to the commentary after an England win in Paris.

(yes, surprisingly good game, I wasn't expecting it from them).

[Valeyard]

Re: Buy way into Irelands

Is it?

I'd only ever heard it on Father Ted but not on the wild. Just the usual (far superior) frigging or flipping

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: Buy way into Irelands

"as theirs is nearly finished"

How much heavy lifting is "nearly" doing? And, as we know from the CS pension portal, "finished" is capable of very heavy lifting indeed.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Buy way into Irelands

Irish government projects (which don't involve the Office of Public Works) generally finish on or ahead of time and under budget.

[Anonymous Coward]

So, a panel composed of random-ish people who don't understand tech or privacy issues?

> "Unlike Hodge, ministers have been at pains to avoid using the phrase "ID cards" when discussing their digital ID plans."

It's 2026. The word "card" would now be net reassuring to the public if they actually understood what the government hopes to accomplish by making a government smartphone app near-required to live a modern life, as private business has successfully done.

"People's Panel"?

ROFL, they will find a not-random sampling of people who don't understand privacy or tech, who will hear a guided presentation of what they're supposed to hear, and reach the predetermined "correct" conclusion. That's nearly inevitable whenever uneducated and/or misinformed people, lacking relevant professional experience, are given a short amount of time to parse a deeply complex issue. It all comes down to the presenter, and in this case, the audience doesn't understand the privacy settings or checkbox agreements on their own phones.

That tilted conclusion can then be marketed to others looking for something easy to agree with.

[Aladdin Sane]

People's Panel

Isn't that called a Soviet?

[Fruit and Nutcase]

Re: People's Panel

Where's Blair? Doesn't he still hanker after ID cards?

People's Princess

People's Panel

[Cav]

Re: So, a panel composed of random-ish people who don't understand tech or privacy issues?

You may be correct about the final outcome but your conclusion is based on your initial bias. "they will find a not-random sampling of people who don't understand privacy or tech" says whom?

[Will Godfrey]

Re: So, a panel composed of random-ish people who don't understand tech or privacy issues?

Says the voice of past experience.

[Tron]

Re: So, a panel composed of random-ish people who don't understand tech or privacy issues?

Because that is the way they always do it. That is the way they did it with the OSA. Give it a few weeks and the BBC will be stopping 'random' people in the street who are looking forward to it to protect the borders from nasty foreigners and protect women, children, and small furry animals. The system is institutionally corrupt. The whole 'democracy' thing is theatre. The difference between us and Russia is that the Russians bump you off if you disagree. In Britain, they just ignore you. Because it is cheaper.

[BartyFartsLast]

Re: So, a panel composed of random-ish people who don't understand tech or privacy issues?

Well, to be fair to the BBC, I have been one of those people stopped in the street and asked my thoughts on Brexit.

I was not complimentary and voiced my thoughts on it.

I got a slew of WhatsApps from friends and family when it was broadcast so I know they used it

[CrazyOldCatMan]

Re: So, a panel composed of random-ish people who don't understand tech or privacy issues?

small furry animals

That's all right - the Pict they are grooving with will protect them..

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Several_Species_of_Small_Furry_Animals_Gathered_Together_in_a_Cave_and_Grooving_with_a_Pict for those not recognising the reference. My brain really does retain a lot of cruft..)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: So, a panel composed of random-ish people who don't understand tech or privacy issues?

"not-random": Invitations may be random. In-person participation definitely isn't.

"people who don't understand privacy or tech": That's most people. The vast majority of people.

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: So, a panel composed of random-ish people who don't understand tech or privacy issues?

"not-random": Invitations may be random. In-person participation definitely isn't.

"people who don't understand privacy or tech": That's most people. The vast majority of people.

The second means they have a reasonable chance of avoiding anyone with understanding. The first holds out a bit of hope that someone who gets does understand will be motivated to accept should they be invited but it would still be an uphill task against the procedures. If anyone here is in that situation perhaps careful study of "Twelve Angry Men" would be good preparation.

[Helcat]

Re: So, a panel composed of random-ish people who don't understand tech or privacy issues?

Considering there are @55 million people in the UK over 18, so 120 of them would be... well... damn near 0%. So how is that 'listening to the people'?

[Andy The Hat]

hooray

finally, we have legitimate justifications for digital id:

1) to stop international visitors getting into museums free ...

2) err ... anyone got a second?

[elsergiovolador]

Re: hooray

Is it really going to stop them? People can tap for someone else or use social engineering to get in anyway. I doubt volunteers and minimum wage workers will care about entry rules.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: hooray

That's a few percent, at most. The typical international visitor either buys museum tickets online after getting funneled in by a review/comparison site, or impulsively buys at gate when out walking around being a tourist.

If most people were of a social engineering, loophole finding, critical thinking type mindset, then we wouldn't be discussing whether we're OK with government infecting our smartphones with identity software in exchange for...free or discounted museum tickets? Pretty low price, eh?

[Dan 55]

Re: hooray

Should the recently announced introduction of ID cards achieve universal coverage, it would present a valuable opportunity to revisit the policy of free entry for international visitors to national museums and galleries

Seems she doesn't know many places will give you free or reduced entry if you present a utility or council tax bill showing you're a resident in the county...?

[Phil O'Sophical]

Re: hooray

Why shouldn't visitors get in for free as well? It's not like they'll be an additional cost, and they may well spend some money in the cafe or gift shop. Assuming that all visitors who currently use the free entry will be happy to pay is typical government nonsense, the odds are they'll simply not bother and so spend no money with the ancillary services either.

[Fred Dibnah]

Re: hooray

Foreign visitors to the British Museum should have free entry, given that most of the exhibits were stolen from their countries.

[CrazyOldCatMan]

Re: hooray

given that most of the exhibits were stolen from their countries

[Sir Humphrey Mode=On]

'Stealing' is such a loaded word minister. In the Civil Service we prefer to say 'redeployed on an involutary basis for the betterment of the redeployer'.

(Amusingly, reading the Bernard Cornwell 'Sharpe' series and in one of them he describes how the French under Napoleon did wholesale art looting for the Louvre^W Musee Napoleon since "Paris is the cultural Capital of the world".All the colonial powers were at it apparently.. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleonic_looting_of_art)

[Blazde]

Re: hooray

It's obviously not about cost. It's about creating a 'hostile museum environment', and it's primary appeal to Labour parliamentarians is that Nige didn't think of it first

[Jamie Jones]

Re: hooray

So, I'm expected to carry ID to visit a museum? Sod off, Hodge.

[43300]

Re: hooray

And some of those "free" museums put considerable pressure on everyone to give a "suggested donation" anyway...

[elsergiovolador]

Wants

Can't they just phone Larry and get the answer?

It doesn't matter what British public wants. Larry wants, Larry gets.

[Empire of the Pussycat]

Re: Wants

Larry is the only true representative of the people in number ten.

He says DID is a dud.

Having saved the country 650k, Larry asks for nothing more than a few Felix cat treats in recognition of his years of service, and his tolerating buffoons, lunatics, idiots in his home.

[CrazyOldCatMan]

Re: Wants

Larry is the only true representative of the people in number ten.

Right on brother.

We welcome our furry feline overlords and just hope that we don't attract their attention by looking too much like something furry and edible.

[Snowy]

Get the opinion you want!!

Ask the questions in the right order to get the answer you want.

Yes, Prime Minister covered the issue years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahgjEjJkZks

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Get the opinion you want!!

I think an American reprise is in order.

“Yes, Mr President”.

[Jellied Eel]

That tilted conclusion can then be marketed to others looking for something easy to agree with.

Yep. Charge those foreigners! Not in a traditional Empire building sense, with bayonets fixed*, but-

Meanwhile, former Labour minister Margaret Hodge, now in the House of Lords, has said that the scheme could allow museums to charge international visitors while continuing to let Brits in for free.

Err.. Yey? This is the best a senil.. I mean senior Labour figure can come up with to justify spaffing billions on an app? ISTR Reading had their own card scheme that was used for library membership & museums. Other places just asked to see a Council Tax statement. But then a lot of regional museums it was a case of visit once and done. Go pet the concrete cows, learn a bit about MK's rich history. Or when I had international visits, taking them to see the London museums. So I.. don't entirely see the benefit or cost justification, especially when charging tourists might just discourage visitors.

* Well, some 'Londoners' kinda emulate that with London's museums and other tourist attractions being prime locations for muggers. Visit London, leave with an interesting scar and memories of our famous Oxford Street shopping experience..

[Voice of Salinity]

Consultation

I hope the UK readers haven't confined their Digital ID vitriol to these Reg forums and have all taken the time to pollute the consultation with it too. I found mine quite cathartic.

[ADB-UK]

I would actually say yes if I could get rid of:

My National Insurance number

My Driving Licence number

The three government gateway I.D. numbers / strings I have for tax and other details

My local council ID

My NHS number

My (expired) passport number

My voter registration number

Any damn site that has my info as it "needs" to know my age (well over 16 + 18 before you ask).

But we are the UK and do not have a unique ID according to most folk here!

[Phil O'Sophical]

Your new Digital ID will probbaly have all of those and a Digital ID number as well.

[Flocke Kroes]

Have you considered using the same user name and password for random sites on the internet that you use for banking? Separate credentials for things that matter is extra hassle but limits damage when things go wrong.

[CrazyOldCatMan]

Any damn site that has my info as it "needs" to know my age (well over 16 + 18 before you ask)

I recently described my age as 54+VAT..

[Snowy]

Which rate of VAT would that be?

[Anonymous Coward]

As a Person of Significant Control in a UK Limited company I recently had to complete the Annual Companies House Declaration for the company. Basically a list of shareholders names addresses etc. A short list in my case. This used to take about 15 minutes.

Except that this year:

Companies House will not accept your company’s confirmation statement until all directors have verified their identity.

Your people with significant control (PSCs) will also need to provide verification details. For more information on when they’ll need to do this, go to:

gov.uk/guidance/when-you-need-to-verify-your-identity-for-companies-house

.

In order to do this you will need to download an app, take a photo of your driving license or passport and upload this plus other information.

Only then can you log into Companies House to do the necessary.

During this process I received no less than 4 text verification codes at different stages of the process.

You'll need this to set up a GOV1 ID to verify your identity and get an authentication code.

Then:

You’ll need your company number and authentication code: gov.uk/guidance/company-authentication-codes-for-online-filing

.

Big brother has already arrived in the form in the form of GOV1 ID which "you can also use for other things."

Instead of 15 minutes, going through the rigmarole took me almost 3 hours.

Now both my driving license number and my National Insurance number are linked to my Company details via the GOV1 ID systrem.

[EvilDrSmith]

You can actually do this without a smart 'phone and App (though it's no easier).

Also, the companies house requirement is also for anyone that is a member of an LLP, which makes this a much wider net than just people with significant control of a limited company.

You still need to have/create a GOV.UK One Login, then go around in circles as you follow a link for 'I don't have an app' that then immediately then tells you to use the app, and eventually you end up with an appointment to turn up at a Post Office* with your passport, where they can verify your identity by looking at your passport and taking a photo which they presumably upload.

And then you have to go back to GOV.UK One Login to confirm that the verification is really you.

And THEN you can log in to companies house and confirm that you are the name that they have on their list.

*At which point you'll likely find that the list of Post Offices that you can do this at includes all the Post-office-in-small-shops in the area, but none of the few actual Post Offices that still exist.

[Voice of Salinity]

GREAT NEWS!! Your government has striven, and will continue to strive, to make your life AS FUN AS POSSIBLE. To this end, when Digi ID comes in,you'll have to jump through all these hoops PLUS some new Digi ID hoops TOO!! That's right, they're going to turn the FUN* all the way up to 12!!

* Subject to availability. Terms and conditions may apply. Make sure you're wearing your fun girdle to prevent physical injury.

[CrazyOldCatMan]

Instead of 15 minutes, going through the rigmarole took me almost 3 hours

Changing jobs recently (OK - largely involuntary although I did get a really nice redundancy payment) I had to go through the 'prove you are who you say you are' 3 times. Only one of which accepted the picture driving license as proof.

So I ended up having to renew my (very) expired passport purely in order to prove I was who I said I was. Completely unneccesary, especially as I'd upgraded to the picture drivers licence 9 months previously for exactly the reason that I didn't have any form of picture ID.

[IGotOut]

Ermmm...

That's not how you start an unbiased report.

"The People's Panel will debate how a digital ID can work for everyone"

I can imagine the arguement.

Do you want an ID scheme or do you want benefit cheating, pedo (sic) , illegal immigrants who eat swans, mug defenceless old women and kidnap babies.

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: Ermmm...

No, there are words to describe how it would work for everyone with which I'm sure you'd agree: badly, intrusively,unnecessarily, ....

[R Soul]

What the fuck?

Can this country get any lower? Instead of having an elected Parliament that passes laws, we replace that with a (cherry picked) focus group which only does what it's told. What could possibly go wrong?

The cheerleaders for Starmercards should just fuck off and never be heard from again.

[ColinPa]

I would expect only 10% of the IT industry to be able to formulate a solid plan!

Let's ignore the trivial well rehearsed topic and start with an easy one

1) When my information is hacked - how do I get it reset? Do I have to go to the post office- what documents do I provide. My passport will not be valid because it's been hacked.

2) Bearing in mind the post office and the back office being able to change records with no audit records written, will there be an audit trail ( that I can see any changes made to my record)

How do you protect it from other people looking at it my record

How do I get notified if it gets changed?

3) If there is a power cut in London - will I still be able to use my digital ID - say in Scotland?

4) Will there be pattern recognition software watching the traffic, for abnormal traffic, or at unusual times?

5) When does the data get deleted? - Is it physically/logically deleted from the database - or just moved to an archive?

6) Someone has a nasty accident, and smashes their face up.... how will facial recognition work?

[Jellied Eel]

Re: I would expect only 10% of the IT industry to be able to formulate a solid plan!

5) When does the data get deleted? - Is it physically/logically deleted from the database - or just moved to an archive?

Not sure what you mean? Probably whenever the intern finds out if rm -rf works, or never because it'll be stored off-site in AWS's Middle East zones. Or drones/truck bombs might physically delete the database, once they've figured out where it's located.

6) Someone has a nasty accident, and smashes their face up.... how will facial recognition work?

Go to the Post Office, sit on the scanner. Next!

[Peter Prof Fox]

6000 quid per person

Bargain!

[Sub 20 Pilot]

Why the need for yet another ID.

I have a passport and a driving license. The last time Blair tried this shit I couldn't understand why they could not use one of these as an ID. ''Some people don't drive and some don;'t want a passport' was the usual response. To which my response was that I don't want an additional ID card and the cost of maintaining it so why is their view more important than mine and more importantly as the mechanism of delivery is already there, why reinvent the wheel.

Everyone in the UK, as I understand it, gets a National Insurance number by the time they are 16. It is true for all those born and living here and I assume true for those who have moved here to work. What is wrong with that as an ID. Those below 16 probably don't need an ID for any service that is not controlled by a parent or legal guardian.

Of course if the shitshow Labour party keep their seats the whole thing will be shoehorned in regardless. It will cost billions and will be faulty and not do what it should. It will be ''delivered'' late and over budget by Capita, Fujitsu or Siemens et al. Same shit different day.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Why the need for yet another ID.

"I have a passport and a driving license."

Impossible! License is a verb.

"Everyone in the UK, as I understand it, gets a National Insurance number by the time they are 16..... What is wrong with that as an ID."

NI numbers are not unique.

[streaky]

Re: Why the need for yet another ID.

They are unique, they're not photographic ID. Just knowing a number doesn't prove who you are.

[streaky]

Re: Why the need for yet another ID.

You literally can't either claim benefits or work without a proper government-issued photographic ID. Horse has bolted and whatnot.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Why the need for yet another ID.

I literally do, and i don't have a government photo id.

[streaky]

Re: Why the need for yet another ID.

In the UK? Then your employer is breaking the law.

[cd]

Next up, learn to moo...

"As the steers approach, Chris first checks the ears. The right ears have been marked by being halved down the middle. (The heifers’ right ears are notched.)"

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1993/12/20/irons-in-the-fire

[Anonymous Coward]

Random. As if!

'Thousands of households will be invited to take part through what Frith calls "a random postcode lottery," with between 100 and 120 people aged 18 or above selected to make up a "broadly representative sample" of the UK adult population. "No individual can buy their way in or simply turn up at the event," he added.'

It'll be as random as a bussed in BBC Question Time audience or the people present anywhere where Keir Starmer turns up for a prearranged meet and greet.

We all know the database will simply be a list of pre-screened and pre-selected Labour Party activists.

And they'll all have existing photo ID!

[moarthumbsdownsplease]

Note to government: Please stop spending our taxes on stupidity it's becoming really vexing, and, yes, we know the consultants are probably your mates from Uni who are now in 'industry' but, for the grand price of FREE, create a carefully worded series of petitions on petition.parliament.uk and advertise them online.

[streaky]

...

After 2029 Keir Starmer needs to be forced to either reimburse the country out of his own pocket or go to prison for the rest of his life.

This aint the US, Parliament can write Bills of Attainder of have them be executed on the target.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: ...

oh please... they are still giving Truss 112K a year whilst she slags off the UK with unhinged tropes and conspiracy theories that make Trump look sane.

When they talk about repealing that, we can talk about this country holding former leaders to account.

[Anonymous Coward]

Never hold an enquiry

Unless you already know the answer.

[Lee D]

It's a small price to pay so long as they LISTEN to whatever the outcome is and save 10's or 100's of millions if people don't want it.

[Tubz]

In other words, Starmer giving some of his mates a free meal ticket to make money and throw a little weight around, just so they get the same answer a quick online poll could have given him, a resounding "NO" and then do what the miserable little w@nker does and ignore it!

[Anonymous Coward]

Can't they re-use the Covid chips?

Just pay Bill Gates to license use of all the implanted 5g chips as trackers and airport doors can open automatically for people.

[ChoHag]

> it would present a valuable opportunity to revisit the policy of free entry for international visitors to national museums and galleries

THAT's why we're selling off our freedom?

[jpennycook]

> "No individual can buy their way in or simply turn up at the event," he added.

1. I have taken part in Council consultations. They usually go on to say that their scheme has been through consultation but deliver what they originally planned.

2. Ordinary people might not be motivated or even available. People who are independently wealthy or backed by a pressure group could get coaching in how to effectively present their case, whilst not needing to take time off work

3. I bet the consultation involves having to travel to London.

4. Many people selected to attend might not be aware of the potential problems, eg someone who owns an ordinary Android or iPhone might not realise that the app is likely to block installation/being run on an aftermarket Android variant (eg GrapheneOS, LineageOS), and not at all for people who have an alternative operating system (eg Sailfish) or for people with dumb phones or no phone at all

5. And will the Government be honest in the consultation and reveal exactly what the app will store? As far as I remember, Germany restricts what can be stored on ID cards because of their experience. Name, age, photo/biometric info, and a unique ID should be enough.

[Anonymous Coward]

>1. I have taken part in Council consultations. They usually go on to say that their scheme has been through consultation but deliver what they originally planned

That is *exactly* what happened with my recent bout of redundancy. The company had pre-decided who was going to be ejected but had to go through the legal farce of 'consultation' so as to not get sued into non-existence.

Strangely enough, when I asked to see the minutes or notes taken in the selection process meetings, I got a funny look and got told that none were taken. Which, given the sort of organisation it was (Government arms-length body) there legally should have been..

Ah well. Their loss. Walked out of that place after 3 months garden leave and a large payout, straight into a higher-paying job.

[SamanthaFA]

if I thought that the data would be stored in UK data centres, owned by Gov.UK and operated by civil servants**, I might then be interested to listen tos ome of the arguments about why we might need it.

but it won't be - it'll be farmed out on a private contract, and will be just another scheme for transferring public funds into private pockets. (not to mention UK data to USA eyes)

which is what every British government since Thatcher has been doing :-((

*

we did use to have all our Gov.UK ICT** owned and operated in house, and then it all got outsourced to EDS et al....

**

and we used to own all our energy/water/transport/postal services too....sigh