The Government have u-turned on ID Cards.

Good.

Authoritarian plans to scrap jury trials need to go next.

January 13, 2026 - 19:03 UTC

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No confirmation yet. But the signs are there will be a significant retreat in some way.
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not forced but still implimented
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Excellent, I hadn't heard of this yet.
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Okay, I cannot find anything about this. Apart from saying they are doubling down on digital ID despite mass public outcry.
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With the amount of U turns this government does they must be getting dizzy
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They haven’t said they won’t implement them though right?

Nor that they won’t pay far-right anti-democratic billionaires to hoover our data and do repressive and evil stuff with it.

Just that they're not compulsory for holding a job? For now.
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Thank goodness. I was genuinely terrified as a non-binary person as I can't get a GRC as my lived gender and I knew they would either try and say that I don't exist or would be dead named and misgendered making it impossible for me to get work apply for university and even housing.
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I am enby, you can change your name by deepoll and it changes everywhere, I have Mx on my driving licence and bank card. Still misgendered though. But UK gov still respects name changes.
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No they haven't. It won't be compulsory for gaining work. Google knows more about most people than their direct family. And people worry about an id card that most other countries take for granted
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How would you propose to deal with the backlog in jury trials ? Just asking...
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Genuinely don't get what's so wrong with a National ID card. We have them here in France, in lots of European countries in fact. Its not seen as an authoritarian over reach
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The UK ID cards were to be administered by a US company, in the USA. The French would rather eat a stale croissant than agree to something like that.
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This isn't France, and our governments have repeatedly shown plenty of willingness to use any means they can to spy on and suppress our citizens when they speak out.
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Part of the problem is, once you have them, an authoritarian government could gain power and abuse them.

Our government is a far right, bigoted, genocide apologist nightmare, and it's only getting worse. Their main push for this ID scheme was to make it easier for them to persecute migrants.
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What is the bloody point of Starmer's blunt government?
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To get people begging on their knees for a Farage government.
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That's a disingenuous headline. The IDs are for something much more nefarious. They were probably for an eventual linking up with a national face recognition database - just like China has.
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@channel4news.bsky.social Paul McNamara’s text from a Labour MP:

“FFS, we are constantly being marched up hills to defend positions we think are wrong, only for Keir to U-turn and make us look like fools. This can't go on.”

🔗 www.channel4.com/news/starmer-reportedly-to-abandon-mandatory-digital-id-for-workers

🔗 urbandictionary.com/ffs
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Tell you what, as an EU citizen I have my ID card.

It's safe, CAN be used as an ID (by banks, government, courts, post office, anyone who integrates), carries keys I can use to sign official documents or to have virtual ID issued in app.

But it's PHYSICAL, designed to be user friendly and safe.
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Agree. I'm also an EU citizen and a physical ID card is great, makes things work smoothly. No need to prove your existence by a utility bill. It's just super practical.
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Oh, and separately I usually don't consider U-turn anything to be ashamed of.

Less so in the ideological cases like this one, and less so because the govt had to ve forced into submission, but in general being able to admit a mistake should be considered a strength, not weaknesses.
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If America is any indication, jury by peers is often the last line of defense against tyranny
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Zack not you as well 🙄 Put down the Daily Heil & get your facts in line -

A Home Office minister has rejected claims Sir Keir Starmer is watering down plans for mandatory digital IDs for workers, despite increasing reports the Government is preparing to row back on the scheme.
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And yet while the Children's wellbeing bill and its kiddie digital id version is still on the cards, this is not a victory.
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www.theguardian.com/law/2026/jan/14/victims-commissioner-claire-waxman-warns-against-u-turn-limiting-jury-trials
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Political masterpiece. They literally doubled and tripled down on this to make it a core objective of their government, even tried to cynically link it to their horrible anti immigration propaganda.

Maximum political damage with the public, zero gain - the Starmer Touch never fails to deliver.
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They tried to link it to getting potholes repaired.

Presumably to prevent illegals and their horrific agenda of well maintained roads.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/digital-id-cards-tony-blair-institute-b2832661.html
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Starmer is pretty much the phrase ‘don’t like my principles? I’ve got other ones!’ As a human.
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James O'Brien the other week was asking if turns are relevant now. If a government listens before implementing something ridiculous or idiotic isn't that what we actually want to happen?
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It would be quicker to write a list of what the government hasn't u-turned on at this point. 😆
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Why can’t they think policies through properly before they announce them? They end up looking like idiots. Over and over again.
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Still posting on the CSAM appreciation site, Zack?
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Having a Digital ID scheme is a requirement for EU membership.

Are the Greens now against the UK joining the EU?
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Does the EU mandate all digital ID cards must be run by sociopathic oligarch freaks at Palantir, Deloitte or BAE or is there perhaps a difference in how all of our personal data is owned and weaponised.
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Fairly commonplace in the EU, i carried one for years in Spain. It was never really an issue.
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Just shows that they clearly hadn’t thought about this much in the first place. For all their bluster about why it was all required, they now just roll it back

Were they lying? Did they not spend the time to look into a proper solution?

Either way, it continues to make them look amateurish
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Disappointed by this. I was looking forward to it
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Have they fully though? Or do immigrants still have them? They got rid of the physical residence permits over a year ago.
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I still have to use mine. I still have my quaint BRP card though!
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It's about bloody time.
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I welcome the reversal too, but its not a complete u-turn. Immigrants will still require the new IDs.
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Genuine question: Why are you still on X? I know you have to reach as many people as possible but it's a far right hate sight that promotes child porn.
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I didn't realise they were thinking of scrapping Jury trials?!
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Not a full u-turn at the moment. They're still going ahead with it, but it won't be compulsory. Which leads to the question, Why Bother? It'll either be a complete waste of time and money, or the starting point for it being compulsory in the future.
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They've probably already signed a contract with Palantir or similar and are committed to pay.
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UK govt procedure:

1. Have ill-thought-out idea
2. Shout that it's brilliant and will save billions
3. Realise it's all bullshit
4. Press on, but with reduced scope that eliminates any possible good bits
5. Changes increase budget 50% for something pointless
6. Misuse it

See HS2 for an example
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They have not fully dropped digital ID. They could have had a digital id we all found useful had they chosen to do it in a respectful way that didn't detriment their citizens.
I think they just want the power and control such a feature would give them.
CNUTs
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Scrapping jury trials. You really could not make this shit up. We used to see such things happen in movies not in real life.
Just who do the government think they are. Should we go back to fkin dunking trials. Jesus
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Yes! The thing to do with political momentum is to build it!
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U-turns are about the only thing this government does well. While this one is obviously right, every one erodes their likelihood of getting re-elected.
Good.
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Your decision sounds really great!
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Genuine question: can someone explain to me why scrapping jury trials is a big deal? I understand that it's more fair- however you have judges and lawyers whose job it is to sort out these people. Furthermore, I'm pretty sure they're only reducing the amount of jury trials instead of scrapping it.
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'These people' are innocent until proven guilty.
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Judges serve the establishment and their interests, a jury of your peers do not.
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I would vote for this man every day of the week if I was allowed.

A voice the UK has desperately needed since 1979
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I’m sure in six months time when there’s a new survey the uk public will suddenly be in favour of it again , like they were before labour announced they were looking into it and all the right wing press decided their propaganda teams were against it .
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Loves the u turns does Starmer
Not a week goes by without him making one
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Have they reached the point yet where they haven’t done more than they have?
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👏👏👏👏👏 thank you Zack - the only sane voice
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Agree!
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Excellent. Now just their shitty immigration proposals to vanish, too
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Until they u-turn back again, under the radar.
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Who thinks up their Policies?
Don’t they sound out the views of voters before they launch, and then U turn? 🤷‍♀️
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Great news . BUT the UK Government has just entered into huge government contracts with US authoritarian surveillance firm Palantir! Starmer has arguably handed the keys to our data & national security to Trump. With Palantir they won’t need ID cards to control us.

How can we fight this Zack?
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bsky.app/profile/carolecadwalla.bsky.social/post/3mcdbvsmlgc2p
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TBH I wouldn't mind a single government ID that encompasses thinks like my driving licence, medical records, library cards etc.
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The real problem is that businesses are increasingly nosy to know who their customers are -- and to justify knowing.

And they are prepared to compromise your fundamental human right to go incognito for the chance to get a few coins.
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You wouldn't
Trust me, you wouldn't
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Especially if Palantir administers it under a Reform government?
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well its another U turn by Starmer He keeps going round in circles but this is right I think.
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I understand they'll still introducing them though? Just not making them mandatory?
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Gone are the days when the word leader was to be taken literally. Political leadership now doesnt take the people with them, they dont argue and convince, they simply focus group, dangle out and wait for bites, then decide what is most politically expedient.
'The End of History' is true of leaders.
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When you need to prove your identity to vote then any addition is a good thing.
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Disagree
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It’s a trick. They kept the foot in the door.
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🙌
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I'm still concerned. ID cards may not be legally required, but Starmer is quite capable of making them a de facto necessity by putting all sorts of technically optional services behind them.
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Sense or perhaps self-preservation prevailed. One of the few things more unpopular than digital ID card proposals is this Labour gov’t itself.
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If they could also backtrack on their disgraceful anti-trans policies then that would be great
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The right choice 👏👏👏
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I just want to be able to look at porn again
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Scraping jury trials should never be allowed. It's like what, military tribunals for everyone? These people are deluded
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Pondering if having option of ID card is constructive. Are there any scenarios when those who don't have them can be penalized? (eg recruitment, stop and search)
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Zack. Nobody is talking about one of major factors in the justice backlog. The lack of CPS prosecutors. Overworked staff with massive case loads also causing high staff attrition and sickness.
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Starmer’s pattern is announce policy, await backlash, row back when impact is catastrophic. A proper govt would get on with its manifesto promises but anything else would be announced as a green or white paper FOR CONSULTATION then formulate policy that has been impact assessed first.
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This really is an amateur government!
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Its as if every time they genuinely don't consider that there will be any opposition.
Like the AI copyright rollbacks they want to do...from the start they seemed to neither know nor care how this will decimate creative industries and indie artists and erode the basic concept of copyright law.
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Well said - and explained. We have not had professional government for decades. White papers and Green papers, I had almost forgotten what what they were. Good to see this explanation from the Green Party, more please.
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Just asking, what's the problem with ID cards? I'm a brexit migrant in Spain, everyone has them with no problem.
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I’ve had them when I lived in mainland Europe as well. Never understood the huge tantrums about them.
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Feel like they could have gotten the ID cards through if they had done it *before* they decided everyone needs to scan their face to view even mildly adult content. Absolutely brain dead party
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And you keep u turning on answering "Have you deleted the peadophile app(formally known as X) yet?"

But no, you keep throwing the shit at the wall and hope it sticks.

Seriously you dodge the question on the housing tax that if I house is more then 1 mil yhey pay tax and you never said anything
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Thr id card you hated, but you're fine with the OSA(but you hated it before, obviously not now seeing as elons peadophile app is now being investigated) and yet you STILL HAVE AN TWITTER ACCOUNT!

I was hoping you'd be different, but no... you keep moaning about past legislation and laws (cont)
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The ministers who went out to bat for this must be tamping.
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Yes but the bill for it is into the £bilions..so who really IS benefitting? Contracts? Who and where are they benefitting from thsi scam?
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Classic tactics u shld know, thy say blah blah going to do terrible unacceptable things, ppl say no way, then the 'gov' reduce their aims/plans so it becomes acceptable...this is only delayed & costing £blns...Scotland no doubt will be billed a £'s portion as per usual. NO thanks!
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Let's stay in the 19th century, wonderful!
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I agree and you need to close your X account. It causes more damage than good and sitting on the fence will not serve you well.
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👏
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Possibly best not to close it but stop using it. So the handle doesn't get taken by someone else.
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A Diplock trial was a criminal trial in Northern Ireland where cases were heard by a judge alone, without a jury.
They were introduced in 1973 during the Troubles to deal with terrorism-related offences. Since 2007, non-jury trials can be ordered in England and Wales in very rare circumstances.
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Agreed
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ID cards were not in their manifesto so would be a really tough climb, nor are jury-free trials so I think they will go too.
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U Turn 13.
Im ashamed to have voted for this shit show.
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