Kuenssberg exposes Starmer’s Digital ID con job

Labour are supposedly planning to bring in Digital ID to prevent people working here illegally. There’s a problem with this, which is that when people are working illegally, they’re generally in cahoots with the person who’s employing them. As such, it’s hard to see how Digital ID could have any impact on the shadow economies which operate in the UK.

We’d love to question Keir Starmer on this ourselves, but failing that, we’re happy that stopped clock Laura Kuenssberg has asked one of her intermittently good questions:

All Starmer does is deflect & twist challenges by Kuenssberg on the rationale of National ID & illegal working.

He knows, as do the rest of us, that the policy intent of National ID is *not* about illegal migration/working deterrence.
pic.twitter.com/QofQ1u7HQB

— STOPCOMMONPASS 🛑 (@org_scp) September 28, 2025

What’s the point in Digital ID?

Interviewing the PM before the Labour Party Conference, Kuenssberg said:

One of our viewers got in touch and wanted us to ask this question. Russ Brown wanted us to ask you if you really believe that those profiting from human trafficking will think, oh dear, I have to check your digital ID now. I can’t carry on paying you £1.50 an hour to work in my sweatshop.

This really is the question on everyone’s mind, isn’t it. Starmer responded:

I am absolutely convinced that amongst the reasons that people travel through France, which is a safe country, to come to the United Kingdom, amongst the reasons is because it’s easier to work in our illegal economy than it is in other countries.

This is a very interesting thing for Starmer to say, because France actually has a larger ‘shadow economy’ than the UK:

This shows it’s easier to find illicit work in France than the UK because there’s more of it.

Oh, and as if this didn’t disprove Starmer’s argument enough, France already has Digital ID. Other countries on the list have it too, including Estonia, which has a shadow economy which is twice the size of our’s.

Really, who does Starmer think he’s kidding?

He’s certainly not fooling anyone online:

Keir Starmer floundering on Digital ID Cards despite softball questioning from #bbclaurak at #Lab25 pic.twitter.com/YuBBnlCYhV

— Cllr Martin Abrams 🕊️🍉 (@Martin_Abrams) September 28, 2025

Keir Starmer is asked how digitial IDs will cut down on people working illegally.

He can’t say. pic.twitter.com/8SluqKd6tQ

— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) September 28, 2025

Big Brother

Speaking on the issues with Digital ID, Big Brother Watch have said:

• At their worst, digital ID systems can enable population-wide surveillance, curb liberties, predict and shape people’s decisions, or be abused for the tracking and targeting of marginalised groups.
• There is little evidence to prove that a digital ID system would deter illegal immigration or employment fraud. It would instead burden law-abiding citizens and businesses.
• A digital ID system is highly likely to be used for more than just its original purpose. The government is already considering proposals that would require digital ID for employment and rent checks.
• A digital ID could be used to track everyday interactions such as voting online, paying bills, and shopping.
• The eVisa system’s errors and failures raise serious doubts about the government’s ability to manage a giant digital ID system.

The response to all the problems Digital ID could cause seems to be ‘no it won’t’. Given that Starmer now has the worst polling of any PM on record, he’s going to need a much better argument than that.

Featured image via BBC