Every adult in Britain will require a digital ID under plans to be set out by Sir Keir Starmer.
The prime minister is expected to announce his backing in principle for the scheme in a speech as early as Friday, in a ramping up of efforts to tackle illegal immigration.
The so-called “Brit card” would verify a citizen’s right to live and work in the UK
Anyone starting a new job would be required to show the card, which would then be checked against a central database of those entitled to work here.
The plan will be subject to a consultation and would require legislation to be passed, before being rolled out.
French President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly warned that the lack of ID cards in the UK acts as a major pull factor for Channel crossings, as migrants feel they are able to find work in the black economy.
In July, Labour peer Harriet Harman told Sky News that the black economy and ID cards would “make it more difficult for people to work illegally”.
Politics latest: All British adults to require a digital ID ‘Brit Card’
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