UK Digital ID Brief Quietly Moves to New Minister After Resignation

The UK's digital identity card initiative has a new ministerial lead after Josh Simons resigned from his government roles, despite being cleared by the prime minister's ethics adviser of breaching the ministerial code.

Labour MP James Frith has assumed Simons' ministerial positions at both the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Cabinet Office. The transition comes amid ongoing controversy surrounding Simons' previous role running the Labour Together think tank.

The controversy centers on a report commissioned by Simons from US public affairs firm APCO Worldwide. The report examined journalists who had written critical articles about undeclared donations to Labour Together, including material about Sunday Times journalist Gabriel Pogrund's Jewish beliefs and potential links to Russia. Simons also shared a version of this report with GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre.

On February 28, Sir Laurie Magnus, the prime minister's independent ethics adviser, concluded that Simons had not breached the ministerial code. However, Simons resigned anyway, telling Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer that "it is clear that my remaining in office has now become a distraction from this government's important work." He maintained that he "never sought to smear these newspaper reporters" and described what happened to Pogrund as "a disgrace."

Frith's appointment raises questions about the future direction of the UK's digital identity scheme. At the time of publication, there was no mention of digital identity on the GOV.UK page detailing Frith's ministerial responsibilities. The Register has reached out to the Cabinet Office to confirm whether Frith will continue with the digital ID work.

The government had planned to publish a consultation on its digital identity scheme in February but failed to do so. This delay adds to existing uncertainty around the project, which has already faced scrutiny over its potential costs and implementation timeline.

Frith brings a diverse background to the role. He previously served as MP for Bury North from 2017 to 2019, losing the seat by just 105 votes to Conservative James Daly before regaining it in the 2024 general election. Before his political career, Frith was the lead singer of indie rock band Finka, which performed at Glastonbury's new bands tent. He later worked for Labour education secretary Ruth Kelly and founded a social enterprise focused on careers advice.

The digital identity initiative remains a contentious issue in UK public policy. Previous ministers have faced questions about the scheme's cost, with Whitehall rejecting a £1.8 billion price tag while refusing to provide alternative figures. The Home Office has also faced criticism over GDPR failures in its eVisa rollout, raising concerns about data protection in digital identity systems.

As Frith takes the reins, the digital ID project appears to be at a crossroads. The consultation delay, combined with the change in ministerial leadership, suggests potential reassessment of the scheme's scope and implementation approach. Whether Frith will maintain momentum on the digital identity agenda or pursue a different strategy remains to be seen.