Alex Armstrong FUMES as British veterans set to become 'guinea pigs' under Labour's Digital ID plans

Reacting live on the People's Channel, Alex commented: "Are we using our veterans as guinea pigs? It doesn't sit well with me, I'll tell you that for sure."

Inviting GB News Political Editor Christopher Hope into the discussion for deeper analysis, he added: "We don't do a good job of looking after our veterans as it is. Many people will be wondering if they are indeed guinea pigs."

In agreement, Christopher responded: “That is exactly the concern that many will have. Now, this idea here is to make it voluntary so they won't be compulsory guinea pigs if you like."

He added that the Government has not spoken to GB News today but Labour Minister Ian Murray found the time to speak to establishment media platforms.

"Elsewhere, we've heard from the Government that they are saying this will be a case study for around 300,000 veterans to see how they can access services they are entitled to using the one login app, which will be the app that we all use, if these digital ID cards come to pass," Christopher explained.

On the round this morning, Digital Government Minister Ian Murray claimed that the rollout of digital cards for veterans could demonstrate its credentials to the public and put to bed some of their fears.

Mr Murray said: "[It’s] probably a demonstration to the public by default, in that sense, on the basis that this is the first use case for having a digital credential on your smartphone, and that digital credential is the first sort of verifiable one that Government have now launched.

"So, using a closed group like the 300,000 veterans is a really good case study to show that it does work.

"And it will be very beneficial, it shows the technology works, that shows that we can prove and dispense with some of those legitimate concerns around privacy and security and those kinds of issues."

However, he insisted that the main point of launching the ID card to veterans was not a test for the wider rollout.

Instead, the purpose of the early rollout is to "make the lives of veterans easier to access Government services and the benefits of that card".

The digital veteran card, which launched on Friday, remains optional.

Weighing in on the discussion, GB News host Miriam Cates said that, since the majority of society is accustomed to loyalty apps for local coffee shops and restaurants, the presenter argued that it was simply "convenient" rather than "sinister".

"That's what the Government would like us to think," Christopher batted back.

"I think very it goes to the heart of, for some people, what being British is about. You don't have to carry papers or ID cards as you do in the European Union. You can exist here as a free person. It goes to heart to think of Magna Carta, of our freedoms here."

He subsequently urged Labour to "tread very, very carefully as they bring in these digital IDs".

While individuals can hand out their data to supermarkets and coffee shops, the editor claimed that it is "completely different" if the ID becomes a method to be "checked at random points by the police".

"Where is the protection on that?" he concluded, adding that it was a "whole other kettle of fish" for those who do not own a smartphone.