Downing Street rules out compulsory ID cards to tackle migrants crisis

2022-11-08

Downing Street rules out introducing ID cards for EVERYONE to solve migrants crisis as Labour frontbencher Stephen Kinnock says reheated ‘basic’ Tory Blair era plan could track arrivals – before being slapped down by his boss Yvette Cooper

Stephen Kinnock said Labour ‘reviewing’ the idea of a ‘basic’ identity system
Shadow immigration minister said it would be helpful in providing ‘reassurance’
But he was slapped down by shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper – his boss
No10 also said there were no plans to bring in such cards despite problems

A senior Labour frontbencher was slapped down by Downing Street and his own party boss today after suggesting compulsory ID cards for all Britons as a way of tackling the migrant crisis.

Shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said today that Labour was ‘reviewing’ the idea of a ‘basic’ identity system akin to that first mooted when Tony Blair was prime minister.

He told Times Radio the system should ‘be on the table’ because it would be ‘helpful in terms of giving people the reassurance that they’re looking for, that we have control of our borders’.

But he was slapped down by shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper – his immediate superior – who told the BBC it was not happening.

No10 also said there were no plans to bring in such cards. And Former Policing Minister Kit Malthouse told Times Radio such cards were unnecessary with a deal with France on the horizon.

He added that it was ‘not far to jump from that to us all having a barcode tattooed on us at birth’.

Shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said today that Labour was ‘reviewing’ the idea of a ‘basic’ identity system akin to that first mooted when Tony Blair was prime minister.

No10 also said there were no plans to bring in such cards. And Former Policing Minister Kit Malthouse told Times Radio such cards were unnecessary with a deal with France on the horizon.

Speaking to Times Radio today Mr Kinnock said a registration process and system ‘needs to be looked at very, very carefully indeed’, adding that it was ‘certainly something that Labour is reviewing and will be looking at very carefully’.

‘Just about every member state of the European Union has a proper registration and ID card system,’ he said.

It can’t be beyond the wit of man to look at this and put a system in place that both addresses the issues around civil liberties, but also make sure that we know who is living in our country, and how many people are living in our country.

‘And that will just be so helpful, I think in terms of giving people the reassurance that they’re looking for, that we have control of our borders, and that we don’t have the complete and utter shambles and incompetence and cruelty frankly, that defines the current government.’

But when his remarks were put to Ms Cooper and asked if it was a Labour policy, she told the Today Programme: ‘No, I think the issue is that there’s no proper employment enforcement and that has just got weaker and weaker…’

Tony Blair first unveiled plans for a national identity register and ID cards in 2006. He said it would provide additional protection against organised crime, terrorism and illegal immigration, while protecting vulnerable people and make it easier to access services.

But the idea was later canned after a massive civil liberties backlash.

Asked today if Rishi Sunak was open to the idea of introducing ID cards, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘There are no plans for UK ID cards nor a national identity database.

‘It is true that we already widely use e-visas for people coming to visit and live in the UK and that acts as digital evidence of someone’s immigration status.

‘That makes it easier and quicker for individuals to access services they’re entiteled to, as well as for employers, landlords and others to determine someone’s legal status.’

British immigration officers will be deployed to tackle the Channel crisis in French territory for the first time as part of a landmark deal, the Daily Mail revealed today.

The crucial agreement will allow UK Border Force officers into French control centres to help combat small-boat departures across the Channel.

The deal will also see the largest-ever sum handed by the UK taxpayer to France – thought to be around £80million – for escalated anti-dinghy patrols.

Rishi Sunak indicated yesterday that an agreement was imminent after his first meeting with French president Emmanuel Macron.

The Prime Minister said he had ‘renewed confidence and optimism’ that deals could be struck with Paris and other European partners to combat illegal immigration.

But critics warned that any new deal would have to deliver after years of broken promises. Six weeks ago the Mail revealed that a previous attempt at an accord with France had been torpedoed by Liz Truss’s remarks about Mr Macron. Boris Johnson’s government had been poised to announce a ‘ground-breaking’ agreement – but Miss Truss unintentionally scuppered the deal when she said the ‘jury is out’ on whether Mr Macron was a ‘friend or foe’.

Mr Macron’s government pulled out of the Channel negotiations a few days later, even though an agreement was on the cusp of being signed and sealed.

Last night negotiations were back on track as Downing Street confirmed talks were nearing a conclusion following a meeting between the two leaders at the Cop27 summit.

Downing Street TODAY declined to comment on any details that could be contained in a UK-France deal on illegal Channel crossings.

The PM’s Spokesman said: ‘I’ve seen obviously a lot of detail this morning speculating on what might be in a future deal.

‘There are still discussions ongoing so I can’t get into that sort of speculation at this stage.’

Downing Street said that no timeline had been set on those discussions, amid an expectation of a deal between the two countries.

The spokesman said he would not be going into details of discussions at Cop27 between Rishi Sunak and Emmanuel Macron.

‘I think what is good for the people of the UK is to let those discussions continue in private and then we will set out detail at the earliest opportunity.’

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