In the news

what need is it fulfilling that isn't already covered by other things such as passports and driving licenses etc.

I guess part of that is that many people don't have those? Don't know about driving licences, but I had a quick look at the data for held passports across the UK and the ratio of British passport:no passport was around 5:1 or so.

Honestly surprised that the far right fasch parties haven't been championing them as a way to know who the illegals are. (or maybe they have?)

Have you seen how those people react to the idea of '15 minute cities'? You think they'd be up for a compulsory ID card system?

I think a lot of the data and privacy concerns with regards to ID cards don't really hold the weight they used to given how much data we willing give over to any corporation that asks for it and the UK already being the most heavily video survailed country in Europe. The question of whether or not you'd have to have it on you at all times and who gets to demand to see it is a concern though.

So - because we're already over-surveiled, we should be fine with more?

What about the potential to reduce the back office costs to manage just a single identity card rather than many.
If it's got a digital aspect then any changes you make would be free or in pennies and done online in seconds