1.1 – Democracy and participation
1.2 – Political parties
On Tuesday 13 January, it was reported that the government was watering down their plans around digital ID, removing the compulsory element of the proposals. Whilst such a move was welcomed by civil liberties campaigners, it represents another significant U-turn since Labour came to power 18 months ago.
Opposition to the government’s proposals took the form of an e-petition, which garnered almost three million signatures, and organised opposition from groups such as Big Brother Watch, whose campaign, No2DigitalID, had been gaining traction prior to the government announcement last week.
The proposals were described by the government as being aimed at ensuring people working in the UK had the legal right to do so. In September 2025, the prime minister had said that digital ID would be mandatory and in place by the end of the current parliament. However, following the u-urn, workers will be able to prove their right to work using alternative documentation.
The move adds to the wide-ranging list of policies the government have u-turned on, including changes to winter fuel payments, business rates for pubs, inheritance tax on farms, and welfare reforms. Whilst U-turns on unpopular policies may be spun by the government as them listening to the concerns of the public, they can also be used to portray them as weak in the face of opposition and lacking the conviction required to make a success of their time in office.
In responding to the news, Kemi Badenoch posted on X,
“The Prime Minister is ‘turning the corner’…straight into another U-turn. Good riddance. It was a terrible policy anyway.”
Lisa Smart, the Cabinet Office spokesperson for the Lib Dems, said,
“Number 10 must be bulk ordering motion sickness tablets at this rate to cope with all their U-turns.”
The lack of support from across the House of Commons meant that, despite its sizeable majority, Labour were always vulnerable to attack for a policy that raises significant civil liberties concerns. In welcoming the government’s change of position, Nigel Farage said,
“This is a victory for individual liberty against a ghastly, authoritarian government. Reform UK would scrap it altogether.”
It is likely, therefore, that a range of factors contributed to a change in the government’s stated policy. Crediting pressure groups for forcing a U-turn can be difficult as the government will not publicly admit this for fear of emboldening other groups. Nonetheless, it stands to reason that by providing a focal point for the campaign, it made it all the more difficult for the government to ignore.