Recommendation 1

The Prime Minister’s initial announcement of mandatory digital ID was rushed, poorly thought through and failed to make a convincing case for the introduction of mandatory digital ID. While digital ID was being discussed by Westminster think tanks and politicians, for the general public the proposal came out of the blue. The announcement and subsequent communications were completely inadequate given the impact that mandatory digital ID would have had on our society. As a result, the announcement undermined what existing public support there was for digital ID. Subsequent developments, including the innovative use of deliberative methods as part of the public consultation and improved engagement with key stakeholders, are positive but should have been announced at the outset not as an afterthought. The government’s decision to abandon the mandatory element of the programme and limit its ambition is welcome; but it has also served to reveal the incoherence of its policy- making process and damage the confidence of key stakeholders and the public. (Conclusion, Paragraph 13)