Quite. I think something the UK should be really nervous about is that a government winning a general election with a majority (which in UK constitution basically gives you monarchical powers) has been unable to govern with competence not only in 2024, but also 2019 and 2015. This is a problem.

Exactly the reaction that you* would have expected.

*Everyone except the Government

bsky.app/profile/toma...

Well, we've not seen barbed wire barricades on the A580 for a while, so things can't be that bad 😂

I think there's some grounds for optimism on the (CA) mayors on this, see Burnham-Rotherham in particular. I think the danger here is this relies really very heavily on personal relationships rather than institutions. Changes of person and party in this could easily blow this away.

And that would never do!

Exactly this. Just because there isn't a simple solution that allows you to maintain all of your political priors and not annoy anyone, doesn't mean that there isn't a more complex answer that will work but you haven't got the political nous to actually deliver it. Complex doesn't mean unknown.

Link to Sky News story: news.sky.com/story/income...

And, as someone who has both a passport and driving licence, I'm conscious that it was a lot easier for me than for someone who has only one, or neither, of the above. Add to that HMRC logins, Council Tax registration, electoral roll, voting ID requirements, etc., and an official ID may make sense.