Keir Starmer‘s digital ID scheme has been mocked as ‘ridiculous’ after a minister confirmed it will be optional – and will not include a person’s biological sex.
The Prime Minister’s right-hand man, Darren Jones, said the legislation for the ID cards will not be passed until at least the middle of next year, and the programme will not be available to the public until 2029.
Mr Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, added that the cards will be a ‘voluntary thing.’
He added: ‘The minimum viable product, basically, is due to be available from 2029, which is being able to use your government ID to prove your right to work.’
He outlined plans to convene a paid 120-strong ‘people’s panel’ in Birmingham ahead of the launch, to test how the ID verification technology will work in practice.
Mr Jones’s update on the policy, which polls show is opposed by a rising number of Britons, comes after the Government said gender and sex information would not be recorded.
Ministers argue the details are ‘not necessary’ because the cards will be based on ‘biometric authentication.’
But women’s rights campaigner and ex-Labour MP Rosie Duffield said the omission was ‘utterly ridiculous.’
Darren Jones (pictured) said the legislation for digital ID cards will not be passed until at least the middle of next year, and the programme will not be available to the public until 2029
The MP for Canterbury, who now sits as an Independent, said: ‘Here we are in the 21st century discussing whether or not we should put somebody’s sex on an ID app or card. It’s so mad.
‘If we’re talking about people who don’t want to put their biological sex, we must be talking about a tiny, tiny percentage of people, and this is how you identify someone.
‘When I worked for the police and we got calls about criminals, the first thing you would say to describe somebody that you were looking for was their biological sex. It’s the first thing.
‘It rules out half of the population and it’s just ridiculous. Possibly Labour are too frightened to get into this. But I mean that shows incredibly weak management, not leadership.’
Tory equalities spokesman Claire Coutinho said there could be ‘no excuse for failing to accurately record a person’s biological sex.’
She added: ‘Women deserve better than to have their existence erased because ministers are too scared to stand up for their rights.’