Decision Details

Motion H

Proposer: Councillor Lissimore
Seconder: Councillor Dundas

Council notes the recent announcement by Keir Starmer’s Labour Government of plans to introduce a mandatory Digital ID scheme for all UK residents.
 
Council further notes that the Government’s plan:-
• Could require every Colchester resident to obtain a Digital ID to access public services and entitlements,
• Could risk criminalising millions of people, particularly older people, those on lower incomes, or those without access to digital technology, raises significant privacy and civil liberties concerns and 
• Could result in an estimated £4.6 billion of pounds of taxpayers’ money being wasted on a massive IT project, with no clear benefit or safeguards.

Council believes that Labour’s scheme:
Represents an expensive measure that will undermine public trust, will do nothing to address the real priorities facing Colchester communities such as the lack of economic growth that our country is facing, the cost-of-living crisis, or the problems with illegal immigration. It also fails to protect our core British values of liberty, privacy and fairness.
 
Council resolves:
To formally oppose the Labour Government’s Digital ID plans;
To request the Leader of the Council writes to:
• The Home Secretary and the Minister for Digital Infrastructure expressing this council’s firm opposition to Labour’s mandatory Digital ID system and calling for the plans to be scrapped.
• Members of Parliament across Colchester asking for their firm commitment to oppose Labour’s mandatory Digital ID system and ask them to confirm that they will instead advocate for the estimated £4.6b cost to be rediverted to the NHS and to strengthen our borders.  

This motion relates to a non-executive function and will be debated and determined by Full Council.