Georgina Sturge

In the sense that it's easier to justify tax increases to plug this bigger deficit than because recent fiscal headroom was riskily small? Might be, but I would think most people probably don't think either is a good reason!

Economic forecasts are *always* revised & the swing can be substantial. Add to that the OBR choosing this moment to revise productivity figures going back 10 years.

Bad data strikes again, leaving the Chancellor with a fiscal headache & massive PR challenge ⬇️

www.thetimes.com/article/83c5...

Very astute piece.

The unification of data systems that was already going on quietly in the background could be at risk now because it's being publicly framed as part of the move to a 'papers please' society.

Timely account of the fascinating history of data in our politics!

It shows how much of the data collection that's defined our sense of who we are as a society across history comes down to a mix of accident, contingency & bias (& plenty of genuine concern for human welfare & a better society too!)

Spotted by a contact at the Labour conference in Liverpool! 🙌

Want to better understand our complicated, love-hate relationship with ID cards, population registers, data privacy, and being counted and put in boxes by the state?

Head down to the conference bookshop (?) to pick up a copy!

Wake up in the morning feeling like T Blair...

ID cards are back! This time it's digital. If the government wants to avoid a re-run of the 2000s, it must fully convince us of the benefits this time.

🪪 ID cards are back! This time it's digital. 🪪

"YouGov ran a snap poll yesterday in which support had fallen to just 42% while opposition stood at 44%. At the time of writing, a parliamentary petition against ID cards is heading towards two million signatures."

open.substack.com/pub/georgina...

New data provides fascinating insights into outcomes of recent refugees granted status between 2015 and 2020

Both asylum (ARR) and resettled refugees (RR) struggled in labour market, but particular the latter - likely reflecting that many were selected based on vulnerability

link to data in reply

I was able to discuss this due to reading this book.

Past experience would suggest that what looks like broad support is rather fragile. It matters a lot what people perceive the benefits and risks to be. In the 2006 case, high support fell quickly away following an effective anti campaign and doubts about government competence to keep data safe.

Is Britain ready for BritCard? Labour is re-entering risky political space with digital ID proposal

"Digital identity cards might sound like something we should have - and an informed public would back them in principle - but getting to the stage of having them without Labour dealing itself severe political injury will not be easily done."

georginasturge.substack.com/p/is-britain...

Sum of Us by Georgina Sturge | Waterstones Buy Sum of Us by Georgina Sturge from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.

www.waterstones.com/book/sum-of-...

Want to know how digital ID works, what it would involve, why we don't have it already, and why the last time we tried to have an identity register it went tits up very fast?

It's the perfect time to get hold of a copy of Sum of Us (e- and audio-books also available)!

Sum of Us by Georgina Sturge | Waterstones Buy Sum of Us by Georgina Sturge from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.

www.waterstones.com/book/sum-of-...

Want to know how digital ID works, what it would involve, why we don't have it already, and why the last time we tried to have an identity register it went tits up very fast?

It's the perfect time to get hold of a copy of Sum of Us (e- and audio-books also available)!

A recent YouGov/ Big Brother Watch poll found that when people are primed with a lengthy description of what digital ID might actually involve, support appears to be lower.

[from August 2025]

Is Britain ready for BritCard? Labour is re-entering risky political space with digital ID proposal

Civil liberties campaigns were very effective at chipping away that support, while the promise that ID cards would solve a range of ills also came into doubt.

I wrote about this over the summer:

georginasturge.substack.com/p/is-britain...

Worth noting that public opinion on identity cards is pretty mixed. Not clear yet exactly what will be proposed though and we can be quite sure it won't be a physical card.

Labour's experience with ID cards in the 2000s is definitely also worth remembering. They had strong support at first...

All UK adults to require digital ID under Keir Starmer plan The ‘Brit card’ would be part of efforts to tackle illegal migration by verifying right to live and work in Britain

Well, it's really happening 🗃️ ID cards are back!

From what's suggested so far:
- ID will be all digital
- Doubtful whether everyone will be covered because
- Only need to present it for specific processes (i.e. not everyone works)

www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

When the people you want to count depend on going unnoticed

I'm sure there will be some new polling on this soon but I'd be surprised if it's shifted a lot

Definitely! The public tends to make big exceptions to preferred restrictiveness when families are involved. I don't see a lot of polling on what ppl think is fair treatment of migrants tbh, but we can certainly infer some of the things you describe.

A monopoly on emotion We are in a crisis of being unable to talk to people with different opinions to our own

There's a persistent impression about the migration debate in the UK that one side - that of migration sceptics - both feels and cares a lot more.

I've got a nagging feeling that's not only untrue but having a disastrous effect.

⬇️ My latest post ⬇️

georginasturge.substack.com/p/a-monopoly...

Oh I love that phrasing, asymmetry of passion. And yes, good point on the parallel!

There's a persistent impression about the migration debate in the UK that one side - that of migration sceptics - cares a lot more.

I've got a nagging feeling that's not only untrue but having a disastrous effect.

⬇️ My latest post on Substack ⬇️

georginasturge.substack.com/p/a-monopoly...

Excited to share my latest Substack post - something a bit different from me that goes well beyond my usual data remit.

Could I be onto something? Let me know what you think ⬇️

georginasturge.substack.com/p/a-monopoly...

Andrew Tate ran an online course teaching men how to make money from 'pimping' women on webcams. I don't really know what else to say.

Please tell me this isn't real!?

Also notable how different the pushed content is to 3-4 years ago when I'd say the majority of it was about culture wars, allegations of transphobia, and complaints that right-wing governments were the cause of declining standards and morale

It's really difficult to tell how much this extreme perspective is reflected in wider public views. I would think it gets watered down the further away people are from being Very Online. Startling though to see how forcefully this content is being pushed.