In a time of crisis facing Britain, with the rising cost of living, potential war looming and fascism on the rise, the Prime Minister is taking some perplexing decisions. Instead of lifting the two-child benefit cap, taking the UK back into the European Union, and reforming the nation for the better, Keir Starmer wants to introduce mandatory IDs in the worst possible way, as if that will solve all our ills.
The First Minister of Scotland’s opposition to them is a good thing and much needed but his reasoning is badly off the mark. Instead of addressing the main draconian aspects of the plans, he hit out on social media, writing that it is an attempt to “force Scots to be British”.
What is the “BritCard”?
On 25 September 2025, Keir Starmer announced plans to introduce mandatory digital ID cards for all adults living in the United Kingdom. By introducing the digital ID card, the government intends to stop people coming to Britain illegally as the ID card will be required for legal employment.
Critics are up in arms about the proposed legislation, with the Prime Minister facing opposition from the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, Reform UK, the SNP, Plaid Cymru, and even his own Labour MPs.
At the time of writing, a petition against the introduction of digital ID cards had reached over 2.6 million signatures across the UK.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) response
First Minister John Swinney posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying “I am opposed to mandatory digital ID – people should be able to go about their daily lives without such infringements.” This statement rings true of the problems with the digital ID and is in touch with the public mood. However, his next statement was more out of touch.
The SNP leader said “that aside, by calling it BritCard, the Prime Minister seems to be attempting to force every Scot to declare ourselves British. I am a Scot.” He concluded the post with a Saltire emoji.
Why the fuss?
Understandably, his message about Scots being forced to declare themselves British will resonate well with SNP members and supporters of Scottish independence. There will also be an outrage amongst the diehard nationalists, who call themselves Scottish, not British. Scottish nationalists renounce the Union Flag, and having to carry a digital ID called a BritCard, which will undoubtedly feature the Union Flag, will not sit well with them.
This raises an important question: what is the difference to British documentation already in place? Is every Scot who travels abroad not required to carry a British passport? Are Union Flags not on driving licenses? Despite this, Scotland retains its unique culture and national identity and is recognised in the world for it.
Bigger problems
Quite frankly, the name ‘BritCard’, as well as the Union Flag adorning it, are the least of the problems the digital ID will bring.
For a start, digital IDs could potentially lay the groundwork for more intrusive systems, which could leave the door wide open to data breaches, privacy breaches, and cyberattacks. We already know that the UK government is incompetent with our data – a leak of personnel serving in Afghanistan being a recent and potentially deadly example.
Mass surveillance is another issue. With the ID card comes the problem that we will all be under the microscope even more, with our movements and private lives even more visible to the government.
Then, there’s the problem that everyone who doesn’t own a smartphone will face. If they don’t get one, they will lose out on the ID and everything they will need it for. On the other hand, if they bite the bullet and get a smart device to support the ID, they will face high costs for the purchase. The BritCard may be free, but the government will most likely not pay for the devices required to use it.
John Swinney’s opposition to the mandatory BritCard is greatly appreciated, as we need as much pushback against this as possible. However, his comments about Scottish and British identity only weaken the argument.
The First Minister risks turning the debate about digital ID from one about civil liberties to one about the constitution. This takes the focus away from the real issues and opens up his arguments to attack from the UK government, as they will hit back at what they see as nationalist points.
From there, it will be all too easy to frame opposition to digital ID cards as nothing more than nationalism, and brush all scrutiny under the rug.
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