Tuesday, 30 June 2009

ID Cards will not be compulsory

Alan Johnson just

fired a shot
across the bows of the Tories with his announcement that the proposed ID card scheme will never be compulsory. This is of course fantastic news and a big congratulations should go to the likes of NO2ID, Liberty and for the sensible wing of the Conservative Party who have fought this measure tooth and nail since it was first conceived. This isn't the end of the war against the New Labour's authoritarian grip on Britain, but it's certainly victory in a major battle.
However on a slight tangent it is clear to see that Alan Johnson isn't going to let his stint at the Home Office be the graveyard everyone assumes it to be. In this one action he will win over a considerable amount of support. TB has said it before and will say it again. War-game, war-game, war-game - the Conservative Party must not get lull itself into a false sense of security.
Brown could be gone at any moment - it's up to Peter, and his most likely replacement is canny.

5 comments:

Hipponess
said...

We all know the reasoning behind this.
AJ knows it's unpopular and not a vote winner.
IF, and God forbid they do, win the next election, I'd lay odds on they reintroduce the scheme, albeit under another guise.
IF, and God forbid that it did, happen, I'd be amongst the first in the long queue for the fastest boat, train or plane out of the Country.
Not wishing to be a pessimist; but there again who dreamt Phoney would get back in; as a precaution, my dogs and horses passports are all up to date

Jack
said...

ID cards may not be compulsory now but nearly all the same information has been in RFID chips in passports since 2004 onwards.

Those in power will always find a way to screw us

Think This
said...

Hate to say but this is not the victory we think it is.

The Guardian has the story.
https://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/jun/30/idcards-terrorism

Anonymous said...

And what about the Liberal Democrats who have officially opposed ID cards right from the start when it was actual Tory policy (and in the Conservative manifesto) to support them? I know you're a partisan animal Torybear, but at least give credit where credit is due.

stephen said...

This annoucement is not all it appears. Although ID Cards will not be compulsory, registration on the National Identity Register will be. This is just a reformulation of existing policy. If the Tories are serious about abolishing ID Cards then they must also abolish the register. The register is the whole point of the exercise and is why so many of us oppose it.

Post a Comment