Amanda Holden Criticizes Tony Blair in Digital ID Debate on BBC

Bassyonni

ago 3 hours

Amanda Holden has raised her voice against the digital ID initiative and the involvement of former Prime Minister Tony Blair. In a recent Instagram post to her 2.6 million followers, the Britain’s Got Talent judge expressed her concerns regarding Blair’s support for the digital ID scheme. She highlighted a claim suggesting financial ties between Blair’s family and the project’s development.

Amanda Holden Criticizes Tony Blair in Digital ID Debate

Holden shared a post that alleged that Tony Blair’s son, Euan, stands to gain from the proposed digital ID scheme, with claims that his company could receive £100 billion for its development and monitoring. This sparked significant discussion online.

Controversy Surrounding Digital IDs

Tony Blair is a vocal supporter of digital ID cards.
Claims regarding Euan Blair’s company, Multiverse, being involved in the project have been called into question.
Fact-checking organization FullFact stated that Multiverse is not a software developer and has no official involvement with the digital ID initiative.

This controversy deepened after an episode of the BBC show *Have I Got News For You* erroneously suggested that Multiverse was chosen for the digital ID contract. Following viewer backlash, the BBC issued an apology and retracted the episode from iPlayer to correct the misinformation.

Response from Public Figures

Victoria Coren Mitchell, the guest host of the episode, clarified on social media that her earlier remarks were incorrect. She expressed regret for not scrutinizing the information more closely and acknowledged Multiverse’s focus on apprenticeships.

The digital ID debate has remained heated, with concerns raised about its implications for privacy and accessibility. Some critics, including Nigel Farage of Reform UK, have labeled the initiative as “sinister.”

Impact on the Elderly Population

Research indicates that the rollout of digital IDs may disenfranchise older individuals. A report by Silver Voices suggests that millions of pensioners could become “second-class citizens” due to a lack of access to smartphones. Age UK estimates that:

4.3 million older adults do not use smartphones.
1.6 million seniors do not use mobile phones at all.

Advocates are calling for a comprehensive plan that ensures the digital ID rollout does not marginalize older citizens, emphasizing the need for inclusivity in this significant transition.

The government reiterates that these IDs aim to give better control over illegal work in the UK. However, the controversy and criticism surrounding the idea of mandatory digital IDs continue to grow.