Digital ID will make life easier for millions, writes Sir Keir Starmer |
By Sir Keir Starmer
Digital technology has transformed almost every aspect of society.
With just the swipe of a finger, you can now easily organise your finances, buy your clothes, order a takeaway or book a holiday. And yet this often sits uneasily with the old bureaucracy that shapes our lives.
The passport photocopy you need to apply for job. That old electricity bill you need to open a bank account. The driving license – if you’re lucky enough to be baby-faced – you need just to buy a pint.
Such low-level bureaucracy has almost become part of our national fabric. We grumble and get on with it.
Keep calm and carry on. Yet the truth is it’s more than an inconvenience or a frustrating waste of time. It’s also a mark of a rigid state that does not take seriously the need to innovate and keep up with the modern world.
Think about it. In the age of the smartphone, why can’t we give people more control over their childcare, benefits, housing support, banking and so much........