ID cards rolled out in Manchester
Emily Garnham writes in the Daily Express:
Labour’s controversial ID card scheme is being rolled out in Manchester from today, after costing the taxpayer an estimated £200million to produce.
The widely hated voluntary ID card scheme – which the Tories have pledged to scrap – will set a family of four back £120.
Gordon Brown’s Government promised the controversial identity cards – now available to people in Greater Manchester – would provide a handy and cheap alternative to passports.
But today it was being branded “bogus” by campaign groups, after it emerged they are only available to those who already own passports, or whose passports expired this year.
A Home Office spokesman said: “We are keen to include everyone in this exciting new scheme, and will look at including those who have never had a passport as soon as we possibly can.”
But Phil Booth from campaign group NO2ID said: “The Government claims ID cards are a handy alternative to a passport is bogus.
“You have to have one already so you will pay another £30 and set yourself up for a lifetime of fees, penalties and compliance.
“Once you are on the database you will be obliged to update Whitehall’s register on you for the rest of your life.”
BBC Radio 4’s PM programme also has a report – listen again 42 minutes into the programme here.
