A spokesman for the British Labor leader said that British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who will officially take office on Monday, will abolish the government's controversial digital ID scheme after taking office. The spokesperson said that the cross-party committee of parliamentarians evaluated the digital ID project as a "complete failure" and that the financial resources originally invested in the project will be allocated to Burnham's key livelihood issues. Burnham was elected leader of the ruling Labor Party on Friday and will become prime minister on Monday.
Starmer launched a digital ID plan in September last year, requiring all migrant workers to hold digital ID credentials. The original intention was to combat illegal immigration and hedge the political influence of the British Reform Party. However, the policy triggered strong public opposition, and Starmer canceled the mandatory requirement in January this year.
Burnham's spokesperson said: "All the human and financial resources originally planned to be invested in the national digital ID project will be redirected to areas where funds are most urgently needed, such as easing the pressure on people's living expenses." The British Office for Budget Responsibility calculated in November last year that the total cost of this digital ID project in the three fiscal years from 2026/27 to 2028/29 was approximately 1.8 billion pounds (equivalent to US$2.4 billion).