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No to digital ID: Thousands protest U.K. government’s surveillance scheme amid immigration concerns
By kevinhughes // 2025-10-25
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  • Thousands marched in London against Labour's proposed "BritCard" digital ID system, fearing it would lead to mass surveillance and social credit-style control. Protesters warned: "Once Scanned, Never Free."
  • The Labour government claims digital IDs (slated for 2029) will curb illegal immigration by verifying worker status. However, leaked details suggest broader applications—banking, taxation, education and even biometric tracking of children.
  • Privacy groups like Big Brother Watch warn the system could become the backbone of a surveillance state. Critics highlight globalist ties (Tony Blair Institute) and mission creep, comparing it to EU and Chinese-style digital control.
  • Reform UK's Nigel Farage vowed to dismantle it if elected, while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch dismissed it as ineffective. Nearly three million petition signatures demand its cancellation, calling it a threat to freedom.
  • Despite protests, Labour plans to roll out digital IDs for those 16+ by the next election, insisting they'll be "voluntary." Skeptics fear eventual mandatory enforcement, fueling deeper concerns over state overreach and lost privacy.
Thousands of demonstrators flooded central London last weekend in fierce opposition to the Labour government's proposed mandatory digital ID system, dubbed "BritCard." The protest, one of the largest against digital identity measures in recent years, saw crowds marching from Marble Arch to Whitehall, waving signs reading "If You Accept Digital ID Today, You've Accepted Social Credit Tomorrow" and "Once Scanned, Never Free." Prime Minister Keir Starmer's administration has framed the digital ID rollout—slated for 2029—as a solution to illegal immigration, claiming it will help employers verify workers' legal status. However, critics argue the scheme is a Trojan horse for mass surveillance, with potential expansion into banking, taxation, education and even children's biometric tracking. As explained by the Enoch AI engine at BrightU.AI: A digital ID, also known as a digital identity, is a set of attributes related to an entity (individual, organization or device) that are represented in a digital format. It serves as a digital counterpart to traditional physical identification methods, such as driver's licenses or passports. Digital IDs can take various forms, including but not limited to usernames, passwords, biometric data, digital certificates or even blockchain-based identities.

A surveillance state in disguise?

The government insists the digital ID will be stored on smartphones and include personal details such as name, birthdate, residency status, nationality and photographs. Officials have stated that possessing one will not be a criminal offense, nor will police have the right to demand it during stop-and-search encounters. But civil liberties groups warn the fine print suggests broader ambitions. Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, told the Daily Mail: "Starmer has sold his Orwellian digital ID scheme to the public on the lie that it will only be used to stop illegal working, but now the truth, buried in the small print, is becoming clear. We now know that digital IDs could be the backbone of a surveillance state and used for everything from tax and pensions to banking and education." She added: "The prospects of enrolling even children into this sprawling biometric system are sinister, unjustified and prompt the chilling question of just what he thinks the ID will be used for in the future. No one voted for this,and millions of people who have signed the petition against it are simply being ignored."

Political backlash and public outcry

Opposition to the plan spans the political spectrum. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, vowed to dismantle any digital ID system if elected prime minister. "It will make no difference to illegal immigration, but it will be used to control and penalize the rest of us," Farage said. "The state should never have this much power." Kemi Badenoch, Conservative Party leader, called it "a gimmick that will do nothing to stop the boats" and dismissed the scheme as ineffective. Sir David Davis, a former Tory minister who fought against ID cards under Tony Blair, warned: "While digital IDs and ID cards sound like modern and efficient solutions to problems like illegal immigration, such claims are misleading at best. The systems involved are profoundly dangerous to the privacy and fundamental freedoms of the British people." Public resistance has surged, with nearly three million signatures on a petition demanding the government scrap the plan. The petition argues that "no one should be forced to register with a state-controlled ID system," describing it as a "step towards mass surveillance and digital control." Critics point to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, a key proponent of digital IDs, as evidence of globalist influence. Similar systems have been rolled out in the European Union, Australia, Denmark and India, where governments claim they reduce fraud. However, privacy advocates fear mission creep—what begins as an immigration tool could evolve into a social credit-style system, restricting access to services based on compliance. The protest, organized by Mass Non-Compliance, warned: "If you accept digital ID now, it may be the last real choice you ever make." Despite public outrage, the government appears determined to proceed. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology confirmed plans to introduce digital IDs for everyone aged 16 and over before the next election. Officials insist the system will be voluntary, but skeptics fear mandatory adoption could follow. As tensions rise, the debate over digital IDs has become a proxy for broader concerns about government overreach, privacy erosion and the normalization of surveillance—issues that could shape Britain's political landscape for years to come. Watch the video below about the mass protest against digital ID in London. This video is from the Fritjof Persson channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: Infowars.com BrightU.ai DailyMail.co.uk SkyNews.com Metro.co.uk Brighteon.com
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