Burnham Scraps Digital ID Plan | Sheffield News

Andy Burnham is poised to axe Labour’s flagship digital ID scheme — a costly, controversial project originally meant to tackle illegal immigration — redirecting its $1.8 billion budget toward urgent cost-of-living relief. This bold pivot signals his first major policy reset since taking over from Sir Keir Starmer, with a focus on regional power and economic relief. But it’s not the only reversal: Burnham may also soften Starmer’s climate stance by approving new North Sea oil and gas drilling in existing fields — a move environmentalists fear undermines climate goals. Critics, including Kemi Badenoch, accuse him of prioritizing optics over tough decisions, calling his agenda shallow and politically expedient. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/3eab37ef9162b48e