The British government has announced a "People's Panel" to assess public opinion on introducing a digital identity. Cost: 630,000 pounds sterling.
Background
Digital identity systems are politically controversial in Britain. The last attempt — the National Identity Card under Tony Blair's Labour government — was scrapped in 2010 by the coalition government after encountering massive public resistance.
The current government is taking a more cautious approach: instead of mandating a digital ID, it is asking first. The panel is to be representative in composition and will convene over several weeks.
Criticism
Critics question the cost. "We could tell you for free that the answer is No," commented one user on The Register. The question of whether 630,000 pounds is appropriate for a public consultation — or whether the outcome is already politically predetermined and the panel merely serves as a legitimation tool — remains open.
For DACH companies, the development is relevant: the United Kingdom is an important data processing location post-Brexit. How British digital ID systems interact with EU eIDAS standards will have implications for cross-border business processes.
Source: The Register (01.04.2026).