Wiltshire Lib Dem MPs hail "victory" of Government Digital ID U-turn
Plans to introduce digital ID for working in the UK have been scrapped
Last updated 14th Jan 2026
Wiltshire's Liberal Democrat MPs are celebrating an "important victory" after the Government backtracked on its plans to introduce digital ID.
Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer announced plans last year to make it mandatory for people working in the UK to have digital ID - but the latest Government U-turn will now make it optional.
It's a move that Sarah Gibson, Dr Brian Mathew and Roz Savage have all welcomed.
Hope money can be put to better use
Online petitions set up by Ms Gibson, who represents Chippenham, Calne, Corsham, and Royal Wootton Bassett, and Dr Mathew, for Melksham and Devizes, saw over 8,500 people in their constituencies backing calls for the scheme to be scrapped.
The pair both said they had reservations about the amount of money being earmarked for the scheme, saying it "had the potential to exclude some of the most vulnerable in our communities from accessing basic services."
Ms Gibson added: "It is far better that the Government now spend this money on improving access to critical NHS services in areas like ours."
Dr Mathew said: "I also had serious reservations about the ability of the government to enact such a scheme in a timely and cost effective manner, as I outlined when I spoke about this issue in parliament in December."
Latest U-turn raises questions
Ms Savage told us she's "relieved" to see the Government drop it's plans for a digital ID.
She said: "To me it crossed a clear red line by undermining privacy and freedom while doing very little to achieve the government's stated aims on enforcing immigration control."
Ms Savage added that the decision to backtrack on these plans raises questions over the competence of this Government.
"In the last 18 months, we've seen far too many sudden reversals on the family farm tax, on digital ID, on the winter fuel allowance for pensioners and this is just making everybody feel so uncertain. It's really eroding public trust."
Continued opposition
All three Lib Dem MP's stated they would continue to oppose any plans for digital ID.
The party stood against the proposal when former Labour leader Tony Blair attempted to introduce the plans in the early 2000s.
Both Ms Gibson and Dr Mathew said their statements: "“When Tony Blair’s Labour Government tried to bring in mandatory ID schemes, the Liberal Democrats stopped them – two decades later, we have done it again.
"I am confident that the thousands of people across Wiltshire who have contacted me about this scheme will be relieved to know we have forced this u-turn.”
Ms Savage added: "The Liberal Democrats were absolutely clear from the outset that we oppose digital ID and I personally will continue to stand up for privacy, for civil liberties and for fully transparent and accountable government.