A Sandbach resident has questioned the new Goverment Digital ID scheme which is set to become mandatory by the end of this Parliament.

Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, says Digital ID is an "enormous opportunity" for the UK and will make it tougher to work illegally in this country, making our borders more secure.

He said: "Digital ID is an enormous opportunity for the UK. It will make it tougher to work illegally in this country, making our borders more secure.

"And it will also offer ordinary citizens countless benefits, like being able to prove your identity to access key services swiftly - rather than hunting around for an old utility bill."

But Sandbach resident, Paul Shipley, has questioned the plan saying that although it's presented as a simple, modern way to access public services, beneath that promise lies "a profound question about privacy, democracy, and trust" .

He said: "By design, a Digital ID would link a person's data from many sources — health, tax, driving, benefits, and more — into one system.

"That might seem convenient, but it also means the State (and anyone who gains access) could hold an extraordinarily detailed picture of each citizen's private life. Once such a system exists, history shows it is very difficult to limit how it is used.

"Under Article 8 of the Human Rights Act, every person in this country has the right to a private life. The law says any intrusion on that right must be necessary, proportionate, and clearly defined in law. Yet so far, there has been little detail about how this scheme will be limited, protected, or overseen — or why less intrusive alternatives would not do.

"Supporters say we should "trust the government", but in a democracy, trust is not a substitute for consent. Something that affects every citizen's freedom and data security should not be imposed without open debate and clear public approval.

"At the very least, Parliament should insist on full scrutiny before any implementation — and many of us believe such a sweeping change deserves a referendum.

"This is not a matter of party politics. It is about the balance between individual liberty and state control, and about whether we as citizens still have a genuine say in how we are governed.

A Daily Mail poll found just 26% of respondents supported the move, with 74% against.

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