Allies cast doubt on future of identity card project
Alan Travis, writes in The Guardian:
Jack Straw, now widely expected to replace John Reid as home secretary, signalled yesterday that the future of the £5.75bn national identity card scheme would be under review when Gordon Brown becomes prime minister next month.
Mr Straw, the leader of the Commons and Mr Brown’s leadership campaign manager, has a long record of personal opposition within cabinet to a compulsory ID card scheme. Sources close to the chancellor, said Mr Brown believed the slimmed-down Home Office needed stability and “Jack is a heavyweight who can hit the ground running”.
With the cost of the project spiralling and some of Mr Brown’s key supporters opposing it, a review could mark a significant break with the Blair era.
The article is partly based on a Radio 4 Today programme interview with Mr Straw on Friay 11th May – listen again here with RealPlayer (starting at 19′ 20″).
May 13th, 2007 at 16:50
They can review it as many times as they like,but until this ridiculous and intrusive scheme is scrapped we must keep fighting