Is it a threat to freedom? The British government believes that ID cards will halt illegal work and make services smoother. But their opponents think the cost to civil liberty is too great.
Britons must carry digital ID, says PM
Civil servitude: The UK government says that digital ID cards will boost border security and simplify government administration with faster, more efficient access to public functions. Not everyone agrees. Glossary
Citizens - Legally recognised members of a country or a state.
Tony Blair - Tony Blair was the leader of the Labour party. He was British prime minister from 1997 to 2007.
Mandating - Officially ordering, requiring, or demanding to do something by an official authority.
Coalition - Two sides working together officially.
Populist - The term comes from the People's Party, which operated in the USA in the 1890s. Now, it is often used to refer to any movement that makes a distinction between the "people" and the corrupt "establishment".
Civil liberties - Basic rights and freedoms given to citizens of a country through the law. They include freedom of speech, freedom of movement, and freedom of religious worship. Such rights and freedoms are part of a democratic society and are often denied to those living in a dictatorship.
Quail - To quail at something means to show fear or want to move away from it.
HS2 - A long-planned high-speed railway line in the United Kingdom.