Former Home Secretary rejects ID cards
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
From the BBC:
“Former Home Secretary David Blunkett says the government should scrap plans to introduce ID cards for all in favour of mandatory biometric passports.
Speaking at InfoSec 2009, a security conference held in London, the MP for Sheffield Brightside said biometric passports could do the job.
He said he had put the idea to the current Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
He mooted the idea of ID cards when Home Secretary in 2001, but has changed his position in the last few months.
Asked whether ID cards could be dropped, Mr Blunkett told the BBC: “I think it is possible to mandate biometric passports.”
Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:
“When even the father of ID cards spurns them, the idea is truly an abandoned orphan.
“Only the most profligate of governments would lavish billions on this programme in such a deep recession where hard choices are needed on public priorities.
“There is no face-saver with passports, which were becoming biometric in any case. It would be ridiculous to insist that people pay for new passports whether they need them or not.
“The Government should remember that the British state belongs to the British people and not the other way around.”
You can sign the Liberal Democrats’ petition against ID cards here.
