To be absolutely fuming about the digital ID thing?

[summerlovingvibes]

I work as a nurse in England.

I just feel absolutely fuming about the digital ID proposals and don't know how to channel my anger??

I very strongly object to this. It makes my blood boil when I think about it and I feel anxious knowing that something like this may be imposed on us all.

It is not going to stop illegal immigration. That line is absolute BS. They're doing it for their own selfish reasons.

What do we do? I don't want to not work, but I am going to refuse to have one. So my employer may sack me?!

It's just ridiculous!

Obviously I've signed the petition, emailed my MP, will join any protests etc.

But practically speaking - will my employer actually sack me for not having one?

@TheNoonBell @PowerTulle @scalt agree with all.
So what are you / we actually going to do about it? Is there any more action that we can take at this moment in time that will help?

I don’t think there is anything you can do? Yes, you are entitled to work here, and at the moment you prove that by showing your passport. Next year, you’ll prove it by showing your digital ID. The principle is exactly the same: your right to work exists, but employers still need to verify it.

Agree with you OP... it's the thin end of the big brother wedge. I'll be at least dragging my heels to get it but I need to work and if it came to it I'd obviously have to cave. It's a hackers dream and clearly only being floated as an idea to line certain people's pockets. I'm white hot angry about it! What if I don't want one? Does that make me invalid as a person?

I haven't got any ideas of what you could do, but I suspect that in reality, you could prove your right to work with a passport.
Bear in mind that Starmer was giving a soundbite with the 'you won't be able to work without an ID card' because he's trying to sound tough on immigration.
And I absolutely appreciate your concerns. I think it very odd how trusting people are of governments and the super-rich who head the companies that will be contracted to put these in place.

I do not see the point of the DID
It seems a waste of money & resource

I already have
Passport
Driving licence
National Insurance number
NHS number
Right to work
DBS
Bank account
Bills in my name

Waste of money and resources.

it’s like the con of smart meters. No it doesn’t save me money. If I want to monitor my energy usage I can get my own monitor.

Keep being vociferous on threads like this is one thing we can do, like MN is about women’s spaces, for example. Do not let the matter rest. Make it a hill to die on (or at least say it). If the government can indeed monitor everything we do on the internet, let them see it. Keep people talking about it. When any government wants to implement an unpopular measure, they time the initial announcement carefully, then wait for the hue and cry to die down, perhaps distracting the public with something else. We can show that the hue and cry is NOT dying down. I think that this is what we should have done during the madness of lockdown, which was harder, because the government was actively stifling any debate. We’re not seeing that (yet) with digital ID, so we must make the most of it.

The government is effectively “negotiating” with the public; and as every negotiator knows, always begin by asking for much more than you hope to get. That is what they are doing, so we must scream our objections, rather than meekly accept the idea, like we did with lockdown. I’m not going to forget the harms of lockdown until its cheerleaders admit to those harms (which may be never).

Even one major supplier has pointed out the issues and said it’s not ballot box approved. So more sense than Starmer.

I don't understand why everyone is stressing so much. The government already have all information on you they want for the digital ID's. It will make no difference, instead it will actually be easier to have everything in one place

When have the government of the UK ever done anything sinister to its populace that hasn’t been for the public good? When?

For example, I marched against the Iraq war in 2003, on a freezing day, as did many other people. It might have seemed pointless as the bastard Bliar still played with his toy soldiers and did it anyway, but I and others can proudly say that we made our objections clear, and Blair is now remembered as the one who took the country into an illegal and unpopular war.

The only thing they haven’t got is a photo to go with each NI number. So people without a driver’s license or passport are visually anonymous.

I’m surprised that as a nurse you are so scared of this -
as u have pointed out u have numerous official documentation
you also have NMC registration that can be accessed publicly
electoral register
enhanced DBS
you aren’t off grid by any stretch of the imagination

your work phone records / door access / online footprint on any work devices are all monitored
your personal usage monitored if you are suspected of criminality
you will be no more visible than you are currently with an ID card

I doubt very much digital ID will go ahead to be honest with you. It will be hugely expensive, deeply unpopular and has never been in a manifesto. I’m always interested in what’s going on behind the curtain though, when these sorts of dead cats get thrown on the table. So many problems in government but look! Look over here!

Exactly you are seen already

many on our streets / turning up to our services, being picked up by police, trying to access public resources do not have the documentation you list ….. surely that is the point of ID to capture the underbelly of society who aren’t as visible as the rest of us

@Horsehow
I didn't say the UK government had. And indeed think that the UK, as governments go, is not terrible compared to many countries. However, a number of people probably have concerns around things like, in no particular order, the way the tax system works for the 0.1%, the bailing out of banks with taxpayer money, the invasion of Iraq, Brexit, cash for peerages, lockdown scandals, the role of social media in fracturing social cohesion etc...Ultimately we live in a capitalist society. I don't think it's at all outlandish to have a grain of concern that the people that that society enriches, who are supported via eg contracts and taxation, are perhaps rather more concerned with their own power and wealth than with looking after the population.

If we were still in Europe would people prefer id cards that would allow travel

Idk it’s already referenced in the housing stuff announced today. Very easy to write in as a requirement anywhere really.

@PowerTulle I'm hopeful when I read posts like yours that it will not go ahead.
I just hate how he's said "it's happening". Wasn't in the manifesto, such a major major cost to our country, doesn't bring any benefits IMO, opens everyone up for having all their important identity information to be stolen from one single point of access etc.
I'm hopeful that if we keep it vocal that people are not in favour that it will not happen.

Is that you Clive ??

I mean, I think it is a waste of time and money.
I don't think anyone thinks it is going to stop people working just because they don't have one - cash in hand is cash in hand. If an employer wants to do something 'properly' there are already enough documents and systems they can use (incl our NI numbers) but your anger seems over the top.

Make it optional for them then. Rather than a blanket thing.

I don't have a passport or a photo driving license, I still have a paper one. If I wished to change my paper driving license for a photo one I have to have a passport to do it! I have no urge to go abroad so £100 for a passport is a waste of money imo.

Wasn't in the manifesto
I've heard it argued otherwise. Apparently the manifesto said they were going to "modernise" therefore ...

I haven't read the full thread so sorry if repeating. Here's a link to them rolling out digital ID to property conveyancing. gov.uk
Laughably, they have said that they are going to 'consult' on digital ID yet here they are piggy-backing onto it already. What's next?

I'm probably being a bit thick here but what is this actually going to achieve? Don't you already have to show proof of identity and national insurance number to get a job? What is this card/app going to do that your birth certificate and NI card can't?

It's all about Big Brother controlling you.
Look at that link I posted: they now want to make it that you can't sell your house without digital ID.