New Brighton Pub Renamed The George Orwell Protests Labour Digital ID Plans

A pub in New Brighton, Merseyside, formerly known as The James Atherton, has been renamed The George Orwell by landlord Daniel Davies in protest against the UK government's plans to introduce mandatory digital ID cards. The rebranding features imagery and phrases from George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984, including projections of Sir Keir Starmer depicted as a "Big Brother" figure and slogans like "war is peace" and "Big Brother is watching you," highlighting concerns over surveillance and data privacy. Davies expressed fears that such digital IDs, while potentially beneficial in the right hands, could become tools for authoritarian control, referencing issues of data access, misuse, and the government's historically poor IT rollouts. The protest aligns with broader opposition activities occurring during the Labour Party Conference in nearby Liverpool, supported by groups like the Together Association, which opposes what they term a "Biometric State Surveillance System." Prime Minister Starmer defends digital IDs as a way to combat illegal work and modernize identification, but critics worry about civil liberties and the exclusion of older populations from vital services. Davies' ongoing use of his properties for political statements underscores his call for public awareness and debate on the far-reaching implications of digital ID implementation.