Is the UK Sleepwalking into Authoritarianism?

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/aug/02/starmer-live-facial-recognition-plan-would-usher-in-national-id-campaigners-warn

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/riots-far-right-facial-recognition-tech-b2595048.html

https://bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/facialrec/independent-starmers-facial-recognition-expansion-plans-rejected-by-rights-and-racial-justice-groups/

The recent news regarding Keir Starmer's proposal to expand the use of live facial recognition technology is deeply concerning and raises significant questions about the growing authoritarian tendencies within the Labour Party and the broader Left-wing politics. Starmer’s plan, as highlighted by civil liberties campaigners, could pave the way for the introduction of a national ID system based on facial recognition, a move that echoes the surveillance tactics used by autocratic regimes in China and Russia.

In the Guardian article titled "Starmer’s live facial recognition plan would usher in national ID, campaigners say" by Dan Sabbagh, it’s clear that such measures threaten to erode civil liberties under the guise of maintaining public order. The irony is palpable—while the European Union has moved to ban real-time surveillance technology, the UK, under Starmer's leadership, appears to be heading in the opposite direction.

This is not an isolated incident but rather part of a troubling pattern within modern Left-wing politics, where the centralisation of power and the erosion of individual freedoms are increasingly justified as necessary for societal stability. The use of live facial recognition, which can scan hundreds of faces per minute, is just the latest example of how technology is being leveraged to monitor and control the public, often without appropriate scrutiny or legal safeguards.

Starmer’s approach aligns disturbingly well with a broader trend of authoritarianism within the Left. This is a movement that once championed civil liberties and the rights of individuals but now seems increasingly comfortable with the use of state power to achieve its ends. Whether it’s through the silencing of dissenting voices or the implementation of intrusive surveillance measures, the Left’s embrace of such tactics should be a cause for alarm for anyone who values freedom and democracy.

The implications of these actions are profound. By normalising the use of facial recognition technology in public spaces, we risk sliding into a society where constant surveillance becomes the norm and where personal freedoms are curtailed in the name of security. This isn’t just a hypothetical danger—history is replete with examples of how such measures, once introduced, are difficult to reverse.

Moreover, the justification for these measures, in response to incidents of public unrest, echoes the authoritarian playbook where state power is expanded in times of crisis, often with little regard for the long-term consequences. As campaigners like Silkie Carlo from Big Brother Watch have pointed out, this approach ignores the civil liberties implications and instead mirrors the surveillance-heavy tactics of regimes we have long criticised.

It's vital that we recognise and challenge these developments within the Labour Party and the broader Left. The debate around live facial recognition is not just about technology; it’s about the kind of society we want to live in. Will we allow ourselves to be surveilled and controlled under the banner of security, or will we stand up for the freedoms that have been hard-won over centuries?

This growing authoritarianism within the Left should serve as a wake-up call. We must be vigilant against the encroachment of state power, even when it comes from those who claim to act in our best interests. The dangers of such policies are real, and the consequences, if left unchecked, could be devastating for the future of democracy and individual liberty in the UK.