As Labour’s conference opened in Liverpool, Keir Starmer found himself caught between defending his own controversial digital ID plans and attacking Reform UK’s approach to immigration.
The Prime Minister tried to steady his leadership at a time when polls look grim, unions are restless, and a painful Budget looms.
Starmer Stands Firm on Digital ID
Starmer unveiled his push for a digital identification system on Friday, reviving an idea once backed by Tony Blair.
His pitch is simple: “you cannot work in the UK unless you have ID.” According to him, this would tighten the system and help reduce illegal migration.
But the plan has stirred backlash from all sides — Conservatives, Reform UK, the Lib Dems, and even within Labour.
More than 2.1 million people have already signed a Parliamentary petition opposing digital IDs, citing concerns about privacy, civil liberties, and whether the policy would even work.
Struggling to Explain the Impact
Facing questions on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Starmer insisted that migrants are drawn to Britain because “it is easier to work in our economy than it is in other countries.”
Pressed on why employers who already ignore existing checks would suddenly comply under a digital system, he argued that the difference is in timing:
“This is on point of starting, not a retrospective exercise.
It is an automatic collection of the information by the government so we know exactly who is working in our economy.”
The Leadership Test
Starmer’s defence of digital IDs comes at a time when his grip on the Labour Party looks fragile.
Rivals are circling, unions want him to shift further to the Left, and the public mood is souring.
With a Budget due on November 26, fears are growing that Chancellor Rachel Reeves may be forced to raise taxes by £30 billion to fill the black hole in the public finances.
Reform UK Sparks Outrage
Alongside defending his own plan, Starmer launched a sharp attack on Reform UK’s immigration policy.
Reform has proposed abolishing “settled status” — which protects people with indefinite leave to remain — and forcing them to reapply under much tougher rules.
Nigel Farage has claimed this would save taxpayers billions.
Critics, however, warn that the policy would hit migrants who have lived in the UK for decades, many with British-born children.
Reform has since suggested exemptions for pensioners, Ukrainians, and Hong Kongers, but opposition remains fierce.
Calling Out Racism
Starmer did not mince his words. “I do think that it is a racist policy. I do think it is immoral.
It needs to be called out for what it is,” he said. But he also tried to show understanding toward Reform voters.
“There are plenty of people who either vote Reform or are thinking of voting Reform who are frustrated.
They had 14 years of failure under the Conservatives, they want us to change things.
They may have voted Labour a year ago, and they want the change to come more quickly. I actually do understand that.”
Drawing the Line
Starmer made clear that his objection isn’t to deporting people who are here illegally, but to targeting those who have built their lives in Britain.
“It is one thing to say we’re going to remove illegal migrants, people who have no right to be here.
I’m up for that,” he said. “It is a completely different thing to say we are going to reach in to people who are lawfully here and start removing them.
They are our neighbours. They’re people who work in our economy.
They are part of who we are. It will rip this country apart.”