Thousands of protesters marched through central London on Saturday to oppose the Government’s planned rollout of digital ID.
Demonstrators chanted and waved banners as they walked from Marble Arch to Whitehall in protest at the scheme.
Last month, Sir Keir Starmer announced that a mandatory digital ID system would be introduced by 2029 for anyone wishing to work in the UK, as part of efforts to curb illegal migration. Opponents say it’s an invasion of privacy.
More than 2.8 million people have already signed a petition against digital ID on the UK Parliament’s website.
The Mail Online reports: Former Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen, who was expelled from the party in 2023 for comparing Covid vaccines to the Holocaust, led the march alongside protesters carrying an effigy of the Prime Minister.
An advert for the protest by organiser Mass Non-Compliance warned: ‘If you accept digital ID now, it may be the last real choice you ever make.’
The Metropolitan Police instructed demonstrators not to stray from the agreed route and to remain on the left-hand side of the road throughout.
The Government’s digital ID plans have drawn criticism across the political spectrum
Conservative former minister Sir David Davis, who opposed ID cards under Tony Blair, said: ‘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.’
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch branded the proposal a ‘gimmick that will do nothing to stop the boats’, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he was ‘firmly opposed’.
The Liberal Democrats said they would not back any system that forces people to ‘turn over their private data just to go about their daily lives.’
Public opposition has also surged online, with almost three million people signing a petition titled ‘Do not introduce Digital ID cards’ since June.
Launched by campaigner Maxim Sutcliff, it states: ‘We think this would be a step towards mass surveillance and digital control, and that no one should be forced to register with a state-controlled ID system.’
Under parliamentary rules, any petition with more than 100,000 signatures must be considered for debate, while those with over 10,000 require an official Government response.
Ministers have, however, dismissed the campaign and insisted they will press ahead with the rollout before the next election.
In its formal reply, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology confirmed that the Government plans to introduce digital ID cards for everyone aged 16 and over by the time voters next go to the polls.
По материалам: http://www.planet-today.com/2025/10/thousands-march-through-london-to-say.html