Labour faces Reform challenge
Sir Keir Starmer has declared that Labour is in a “battle for the soul of this country” against Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, as he confirmed plans to introduce mandatory digital ID cards for all workers.
The prime minister told a London gathering of centre-left leaders that the next election would be a direct contest between Labour and Reform, warning that the government must take on the “politics of predatory grievance” to win.
Poll surge for Reform
Reform UK has surged in the polls amid anger over record Channel crossings this summer. A YouGov survey suggested the party could win 311 seats if an election were held immediately, while Labour would slump to 144.
Farage has promised mass deportations, withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights and the end of indefinite leave to remain. Starmer, by contrast, has committed to staying in the ECHR but plans to extend the qualifying period for settlement from five to 10 years.
Digital ID controversy
Starmer’s announcement of a new digital ID system marks a sharp shift in Labour’s approach to immigration enforcement. “You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you don’t have a digital ID,” he said, dismissing past “squeamish” attitudes towards the issue.
The policy revives memories of Tony Blair’s abandoned ID card project, scrapped in 2010 after fierce opposition from civil liberties campaigners. Critics, including Farage, claim such measures could hand the state excessive control over people’s lives.
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood has made cutting small-boat crossings her top priority, with the digital ID scheme expected to be in place by the end of this parliament.
