AN Independent councillor on Warrington Borough Council has welcomed the Government’s U-turn to make Digital ID compulsory — but says it should never have taken months of public concern and a formal council motion to reach that point.
Last year, Warrington Borough Council passed a motion tabled by Cllr Stuart Mann calling for any future Digital Identity system to remain voluntary, not mandatory. The motion followed growing concern nationally that Digital ID could become a requirement for employment or access to services.
The Government has now confirmed a U-turn, stating that Digital ID will not be made compulsory.
While welcoming the decision, Cllr Mann said the episode exposed a worrying approach to policy-making.
“I’m glad the Government has stepped back — but the fact we had to go through this process at all should concern people,” he said.
“Something as fundamental as the right to work should never have been allowed to drift towards compulsion without serious challenge.”
Cllr Mann said his motion was not about opposing technology, but about drawing a clear line between voluntary innovation and enforced compliance.
“Digital systems can be useful if people choose them,” he said.
“But once the state starts implying that you must hold a government-issued digital pass in order to work, you’ve crossed into very dangerous territory.”
The motion, which was supported by councillors from across the political spectrum, called on ministers to guarantee that any Digital ID scheme would protect privacy, require full data and human rights impact assessments, and ensure no one was disadvantaged for opting out.
Cllr Mann said the original proposals raised unanswered questions about surveillance, data security and individual freedom.
“If existing documents already prove our right to work, what problem was compulsory Digital ID actually solving?” he asked.
“And if you need ID to get a Digital ID, then all you’ve really done is add another layer of bureaucracy — or worse, another layer of data collection.”
He was also critical of the political handling of the issue, suggesting the Government had underestimated public concern.
“This was presented as progress, but people saw through it very quickly,” he said.
“The backlash didn’t come from conspiracy theorists — it came from ordinary residents asking perfectly reasonable questions.”
Cllr Mann said the Government’s decision to reverse course should now be treated as a warning.
“This U-turn happened because people spoke up and councils like Warrington formally pushed back,” he said.
“But ‘voluntary’ has to mean voluntary in practice, not just in words.”
He added that the issue was ultimately about trust.
“Technology should work for people, not be imposed on them,” he said.
“The relationship between citizen and state depends on consent, not coercion — and that principle is worth defending every time.”
Cllr Mann said he would continue to monitor the development of Digital ID policy closely and would not hesitate to raise further concerns if necessary.
The latest U-turn is the 13th made by the Labour Government since coming to power, which equates to a U-turn every six weeks.
