Cabinet reportedly “split” over ID cards
The Cabinet is reportedly “split” over plans to introduce compulsory ID cards.
The Sunday Times says it has a letter from Foreign Secretary Jack Straw stating the idea backed by Home Secretary David Blunkett is “flawed” and politically disastrous for the Government.
The Sunday paper says it also has a letter from Treasury Minister Paul Boateng objecting to the proposals.
Mr Blunkett supports the idea as it would deter “illegal and clandestine” immigration, prevent “massive” fraud, and out abusers of public services.
He wants to see a bill included in next month’s Queen’s speech.
According to the newspaper, proposals for the ID cards would render the scheme free for asylum seekers, 40 pounds for UK citizens, and 5 pounds for those on state benefits and the retired under-75s.
Other Cabinet ministers opposed to the scheme include Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, Transport Secretary Alistair Darling and Trade and Industry Secretary Patrica Hewitt, the paper reported
Paul Boateng, the chief secretary to the Treasury, wrote to Mr Blunkett, stating: “There may well be alternative options that would provide us with a series of quick wins with much lower risks and costs.
“It is worth nothing that under a fully compulsory option, the charge for the card may be classified as a tax by the Office for National Statistics.
“While I strongly welcome the progress we have made since DA (the cabinet’s domestic affairs committee) first discussed ID cards before the summer, the practical points raised by cabinet are substantial, though not insurmountable.”
The Lib Dems remain opposed to ID cards of civil liberty grounds. Lib Dems Menzies Campbell MP said: “In my view, in a society such as we have, for everyone to have an identify card and to be pigeonholed and categorised is wholly unnecessary and flies in the face of the kind of freedom that I think we should enjoy in the United Kingdom.”
Conservative party MP Michael Ancram echoed similar sentiment. He said: “We are now talking about electronic cards, cards which can carry all the information about you and can be used in a very dangerous way to undermine civil liberties.”
