The so-called ‘Brit-Card’ - Keir Starmer’s plan for a mandatory digital ID - is drawing rare unity in Northern Ireland, where every major party has come out against it. The digital ID would allow employers to confirm whether or not a potential employee is eligible to work in the UK. So, why is it so contentious in Northern Ireland in particular? “The government says that won’t happen, but there’s also been a subsidiary issue, which, of course, is very pertinent to the North.”Mr Boulton said the moniker of ‘Brit-card’ is problematic in Northern Ireland, as many citizens do not claim British identity. “The Irish identity is strong, it’s thriving in the North.