Pub renamed The George Orwell in protest over Labour's digital ID cards

The Daily Mail ^ | 30 Sep 2025 | MATT STRUDWICK

[MinorityRepublican]

A pub has been renamed The George Orwell in protest over Labour's plans for new digital ID cards.

Signage with Sir Keir Starmer's face has been placed on the building of the rebranded The James Atherton boozer in New Brighton, Merseyside.

While images were also projected onto the side of the building with phrases from George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984, such as 'war is peace' and 'freedom is slavery'.

In others, the PM is depicted as the leader of the state of Oceania, while 'Big Brother is watching you' flashes before a large eye appears.

Landlord Daniel Davies said he changed the name of the pub as he fears Britain could become 'very Orwellian'.

'You can argue that all of these things, in the right hands, would be good,' he said. 'But in the wrong hands - and you see this in places like Hong Kong - they can become very Orwellian.

'Who has access to your data? How is it used? Is it sold on to any third parties?'

Mr Davies added: 'The government hasn't got a good history of rolling out IT on time, on budget, and which works.

'I think it's going to cause a lot of confusion for the elderly who are already seeing high-street banking going, post offices shutting, pharmacies shutting.

'The main thing I wanted to do is cause a conversation; to get people questioning, and not just going along with anything that gets brought in - especially things that have far-reaching effects on civil liberties and your data.'

The Prime Minister announced Labour's plans last Friday to impose the mandatory cards on all adults by the end of this Parliament.

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TOPICS: Humor
KEYWORDS:

[Clutch Martin]

pfffft cable...

People pay good money to pump sewage out of thier houses, only to turn around and pay money to pump more in.

[Joe 6-pack]

Will they serve Victory Gin?

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Orwell was a strident socialist, a big supporter of Labor.

[PJ-Comix]

And the UK needs to be renamed as Airstrip One.

[KarlInOhio]

Will Two Teir Kier send in his Starmtroopers?

[Brian Griffin]

In Spain, sellers have to record your ID when buying a SIM card.

Cellphones are already linked to ID which is linked to you.

Google or Apple generally knows where you’ve been (and if you you’ve used your hunting license).

[Brian Griffin]

The vast majority of adult Brits have bank cards.

[T-Bird45]

“Orwell was a strident socialist, a big supporter of Labor.”

Perhaps that gave him the insight & inspiration to write the novel describing the ultimate application of socialist theory. Whatever he was politically, I think most of us understand the novel was not written to be an instruction manual for a latter-day practitioner of the totalitarian bent.

[Fungi]

How about the 666 Sixty pub?

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Orwell was anticommunist even though he was a socialist. His nonfiction book
"Road to Wigan Pier" clarifies his reasons. It seems that the strict class system in England
steered him toward socialism.

[alexander_busek]

is nonfiction book "Road to Wigan Pier" clarifies his reasons.

Glad you mentioned "Road to Wigan Pier!" In it, Orwell spotlights what we would today call "limousine liberals" - who secretly despise the poor.

Regards,

[minnesota_bound]

1984 sand sculpture.

Tommy Robinson 🇬🇧
@TRobinsonNewEra
The public know.
https://x.com/TRobinsonNewEra/status/1973373439584227333