Tony Blair and William Hague have called for universal digital identification cards.
The ex-Labour Prime minster and the former leader of the Conservative party have joined forces to recommend everyone in the UK to participate in a “technological revolution” as they believe government records “are still based in a different era”.
During his time in office between 1997 and 2007, Blair attempted to bring in ID cards - something that has always sparked intense debate - but the plans were shelved by David Cameron’s Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, which took office in 2010.
However, the former political foes have teamed up to put it back on the agenda and argue it would make it simpler to access government services and for government to understand people’s needs.
In their report, they said: "In a world in which everything from vaccine status to aeroplane tickets and banking details are available on our personal devices, it is illogical that the same is not true of our individual public records.”
They propose a single way for people to verify their age, identity, driving licence, right to live and work in the UK and educational background.
Those in opposition like Silkie Carlo, the head of Big Brother Watch to the plan have labelled the "sprawling digital identity system" one of the “biggest assaults on privacy” in the country.
She continued to BBC News: "Sir Tony and Lord Hague are absolutely right about the need for the UK to take leadership in technological innovation, but this means protecting people's rights and privacy, not reviving failed proposals for an intrusive mass digital identity system and a database state.”
