AB says no ID

I wish we had compulsory digital ID but I agree that in the current circumstances it shouldn’t be a priority.

Me for one and drilling in the North Sea again👏👏👏👏👏.

He is going up in my estimation.

Not so good for Eaun Blair’s company, the contract was worth £100 million.

Sago

Not so good for Eaun Blair’s company, the contract was worth £100 million.

I hardly think he’ll be on the breadline

Having read up on the legal implications and ramifications of compulsory IDs, I am very relieved.

I am in favour of digital ID. I believe it to be the starting point of joined up bureaucracy and a digital world without having to remember passwords and other (un)memorable info.

Tuliptree

I wish we had compulsory digital ID but I agree that in the current circumstances it shouldn’t be a priority.

I completely agree. It’s just the expense I’d object to at this time, but it should have been introduced years and years ago! (IMO )

Sago

Not so good for Eaun Blair’s company, the contract was worth £100 million.

AI Overview Fact Check: The claim that Euan Blair's company, Multiverse, was awarded a £100 billion contract (or any contract) to build the UK government's digital ID scheme is completely false.

I'm not bothered either way. The govt already knows who we are via passports, bus passes, tax etc. I hope they'll find another way to find undocumented people.
As for the drilling, why not? It'll create employment and reduce bills. Also reduce reliance on importing energy from abroad. Given all the current wars going on the pollution must be appalling. Ours must be a tiny drop in the ocean.

I’m disappointed. I thought we’d be more European in our approach to ID cards. Identify who is here and no card = no work/benefits - as in Spain.

However at present my bigger concern is the huge rise in Council Tax. Trafford Counsil have raised ours by an eye watering 7.4% this year! I pay more to them than my electricity and water bills combined. It’s frightening.

Aveline

I'm not bothered either way. The govt already knows who we are via passports, bus passes, tax etc. I hope they'll find another way to find undocumented people.
As for the drilling, why not? It'll create employment and reduce bills. Also reduce reliance on importing energy from abroad. Given all the current wars going on the pollution must be appalling. Ours must be a tiny drop in the ocean.

My understanding is that the drilling will create some jobs but I don’t see how it will reduce bills or reliance on importing energy from abroad. We can’t keep any oil produced.

Several 100,000 jobs could be saved. Reduced need to import gas. Billions to be made in taxing oil revenues. Seems a no brainer to me.

Great stuff. I hope he sticks to it & doesn’t flip flop 👍🏻

Aveline

I'm not bothered either way. The govt already knows who we are via passports, bus passes, tax etc. I hope they'll find another way to find undocumented people.
As for the drilling, why not? It'll create employment and reduce bills. Also reduce reliance on importing energy from abroad. Given all the current wars going on the pollution must be appalling. Ours must be a tiny drop in the ocean.

Yep agree with that 👍🏻

My understanding is the UK has sovereign rights over any oil extracted from the North Sea Tuliptree.

Smileless2012

My understanding is the UK has sovereign rights over any oil extracted from the North Sea Tuliptree.

Sovereign rights applies to jurisdiction not ownership. Thatcher made dsmn sure we gave the latter away

Nevertheless oil and gas extraction in our waters has got to be a benefit to us. Hard to understand why it might not be.

Aveline

Nevertheless oil and gas extraction in our waters has got to be a benefit to us. Hard to understand why it might not be.

Sadly not as much as it could have been. I believe the tax revenues are worth about £7bn which is peanuts compared to what it coukd have been

Nevertheless it's £7 billion more than nothing!

Aveline

Nevertheless it's £7 billion more than nothing!

And it’s £7 billion that we can all praise AB for.

I have the highest hopes of AB.
But then I did of Starmer.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jul/18/burnham-expected-to-reverse-ban-on-new-oil-and-gas-drilling

Interesting article about the short term thinking behind drilling in the North Sea.

I simply cannot understand why anyone would object to digital ID?

Except on cost grounds.

Digital intel/info is kept on all of us and has done so for decades. Right back to when debit and credit cards were brought in.

I don’t object to it one iota and think much other data could be help in one place which would benefit almost everyone.

I think discussion re AB are best kept til he’s actually PM and on a dedicated thread, as should the drilling (or not) of oil .

*held not help!