Voices: Starmer’s digital ID plan is a ‘dead cat’ play – and it won’t stop the boats

Of course, the digital ID plan is a “dead cat” thrown on the table as a distraction. Any effective communication strategy for a government means setting the media agenda so that the opposition and opposition press do not set it instead.

Thus, Keir Starmer’s speech today will be reported mostly for the ID scheme – instead of for the questions being asked about Morgan McSweeney, Andy Burnham and the YouGov MRP poll suggesting Nigel Farage could soon be in No 10.