Darren Jones has revealed just how shambolic the mangled Digital ID scheme is on Times Radio. Quelle surprise…
The ‘Chief Secretary to the PM’ said the OBR was wrong that it would cost £1.8 billion but would not say whether the projected figure was higher or lower and that it would depend on the final product is. The OBR’s figure would buy you about two more Type 45 destroyers…
He also does not know how it would work: “We haven’t consulted yet on what it is that we’re trying to build and how we’re going to build it.” It likely won’t be in place before the next election: “The minimum viable case will come in 2029 when the Prime Minister wants people to be able to digitally verify their rights to work.”
Interestingly Jones said if the in-person consultation thinks “this whole thing sounds horrible and we don’t want it” the government will “probably” ditch the policy. That’s because “this consultation is not a performative consultation. It’s a genuine one. That’s why we’re not just doing a kind of online consultation in the way that normal consultations might happen.” Full confirmation from a minister there that consultations are entirely fake…
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood introduced her speech on migration reforms at the IPPR:
“There’s no denying we meet at a difficult time for my party.”