By Irra Ariella Khi

Keir Starmer is wrong about digital ID. It won’t make life easier, it will make it riskier.

Convenience is easy to promise. Trust, inclusion, and accountability are not, and Britain’s record on digital infrastructure proves it.

I’ve watched more than 300 airlines attempt to roll out digital IDs. Many of these airlines are my clients and colleagues, and I’ve worked at the intersection of identity and borders for more than two decades.

I’ve seen smartphone apps, QR codes, biometric wallets. Most failed. Few were used by more than 2 percent of passengers. Almost all were quietly shelved.

The problem wasn’t the technology. It was scale, inclusivity and trust.

1. Inclusion

Identity, access, and participation should not depend on having a smartphone, a strong signal, or the confidence to navigate yet another app. That isn’t innovation, it’s exclusion.

2. Scale

The UK Government often points to Estonia as the model for digital identity. But Estonia’s entire population (1.6 million) is roughly the size of........

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