Union jackass
Alan Johnson’s unveiling of the design of the “voluntary” ID card for British citizens get a certain amount of attention in today’s press, much of it centring on the lack of a Union flag on the card. George Pascoe-Watson writes in The Sun:
Home Secretary Alan Johnson was slammed last night for axing the Union Flag from new ID cards.
The move was ordered to avoid upsetting groups who may not identify with the UK symbol, officials admitted.
Earlier trial versions of the card had carried the Union Flag.
Mr Johnson unveiled the latest design in Manchester yesterday – as he insisted the controversial ID project is still alive.
But Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling accused ministers of lacking pride in the nation’s flag.
He stormed: “If the Government don’t even have enough pride in our national flag to put it on an ID card then they really are out of touch with the national mood.”
Tom Whitehead writes in the Daily Telegraph:
The Union flag has been left off the new ID card for Britons because of fears it might upset Irish nationalists in Northern Ireland.
However, The Herald reports:
Sinn Fein MLA Barry McElduff said no nationalist would want to apply for an ID card from the UK Government in the first place.
He said: “People who would get excited about this because they have this need to show their Britishness are not in touch with the real world and are living in yesteryear.”
Bob Roberts, writing in The Mirror focuses on other aspects of the scheme:
Britain’s new ID card was unveiled yesterday – and branded a total waste of money.
A poll showed just 10% of people want one, despite an estimated £215million already being spent on the voluntary scheme.
