Robin Wilton's esoterica

       
 
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30 Mar · Thu 2006

Parliamentary reaction to the ID Cards compromise


In the interests of balance, I felt I should include comments from people other than Charles Clarke: Here's the Liberal Democrats' reaction to the compromise on ID Card coercion: "Home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said: 'Within hours of parading their so-called compromise the Home Office is already making it clear that it was little more than a tactical manoeuvre to ram this legislation through Parliament without any substantive change to the draconian reach and financial costs of the ID database.' " This was the Conservatives' comment, from Shadow Home Secretary David Davis: " 'When people are told they will have to pay for an ID card whether or not they opt to have one, this will make them even more resentful of this system. Under a Conservative government, the scheme would be scrapped and the savings put to other uses - including strengthening our security.' " It seems quite possible that the political ramifications of yesterday's compromise agreement will extend beyond the next election. I don't think this debate is by any means over yet; from an IT vendor's perspective, the outstanding question is how far the current Government is prepared to invest in this initiative, and how that investment programme (which needs to extend over a decade or more) will cope with events such as the change of Prime Minister, change of Home Secretary, change of Government. Those events range from the possible to the inevitable, but each of them potentially represents a major challenge to the continued viability of the scheme.
Posted by racingsnake @ 10:57 PM GMT+00:00

Mr Clarke gracious in victory over ID Cards...


... just not very. In the wake of yesterday's compromise with the Lords, Home Secretary Charles Clarke has come out swinging today. He plans legislation after the next general election, making ID Cards compulsory whether or not citizens have a passport (or, presumably any other credential). He throws down the gauntlet to opposition, forecasting that it will be difficult for a Conservative government to reverse the plans. He promises that, although the cost of the cards scheme is not known, anyone who chooses to opt out while that is an option will not get a rebate in exchange for being issued with fewer credentials. He notes that, in his opinion, anyone who opts out is a fool. He predicts that by 2010 a large number of citizens will either already have ID Cards or hope to have them. For my part, I find such a 'bullish' attitude strange in a minister who has had his legislative proposals rejected an extraordinary five times by the Upper House before a compromise was reached. One might expect that a minister who had faced such concerted objections would be in a mood to continue to listen seriously to those still expressing reservations, but it is hard to find any evidence of that in today's statements.
Posted by racingsnake @ 02:08 PM GMT+00:00
 
 
 
 
 
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Such views as I express in this blog are based on my own opinions, experience and judgements. They do not necessarily represent the policy or views of my employer. It is not my intention to offend readers in any way. If you find anything on this blog offensive, please contact me in the first instance.
Robin Wilton
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