Carmichael condemns SNP hypocrisy over mandatory digital ID

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has today condemned SNP hypocrisy over mandatory digital ID, during a debate on the issue in Parliament.

Intervening in a speech attacking the UK’s government’s digital ID plans by SNP MP Pete Wishart, Mr Carmichael highlighted the SNP’s imposition of a mandatory “vaccine passport” ID scheme in 2022. The Information Commissioner’s Office raised concerns at the time that the Scottish government and NHS Scotland had not been “upfront with people about how their information was being used”.

Speaking in the debate, Mr Carmichael said:

“Does he agree with me that actually, in hindsight, the use of a COVID passport by the Scottish Government was a mistake, and especially in the way it exposed the Government to criticism from the Information Commissioner about the lack of transparency of how that data was used?”

Responding, SNP MP Pete Wishart said:

“We’re getting off topic but I do think he needs an answer to that question. No, I don’t think it was a mistake to have that in place. I think it was absolutely the correct thing to do.”

Reacting after the exchange, Mr Carmichael said:

“The hypocrisy of the SNP over digital ID has been something to behold after they tried to impose a mandatory vaccine ID scheme on everyone just a few years ago. The principles and the arguments are the same – all that has changed is political convenience for the nationalists. One might suspect that their only real opposition to this digital ID plan is that they cannot slap a saltire on it.

“I am proud that the Liberal Democrats fought back and defeated Tony Blair’s ID card scheme in the past – and we will keep fighting Keir Starmer’s digital ID today.”