Hello, I'm Susan Hume and this is the yesterday in Parliament podcast.

On Thursday, January the 15th, MPs had questions about the government's digital ID scheme.

There was a fresh young face at the government dispatch box, and to most of the British public,

an unfamiliar one. He'd got this job just six days ago, so who was it? And had his employer

carried out proper ID checks. The new digital ID will be a modern, secure and trusted way for

people to prove who they are. Well, this was Josh Simons, the junior minister

overseeing the plans to create a digital ID scheme. It was supposed to be compulsory for anyone

seeking to work in the UK and after this week's U-turn is now going to be voluntary.

Josh Simons argued stoutly that digital ID cards would still have two purposes,

first to make it easier for people to access services.

By the end of this Parliament, we will design and roll out a digital credential

to every eligible UK citizen who wants one,

one that is easy to use and unlocks improved public services.

Second, we are committed to reducing illegal migration and will be mandating that right-to-work

checks are conducted digitally. And there was certainly no mention of any awkward U-turns.

The Conservative shadow minister Mike Wood admired his style.

He read that beautifully with a straight face.

Mike Wood reckoned the Prime Minister had only ever announced the compulsory ID scheme

as a political distraction and now the new minister had to clear it all up.

I suspect that he's quickly learning that the price of his red box is to have to go out on a very thin limb,

put his own credibility on the line, only for those higher up in government to rev the chainsaw,

leaving him exposed.

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