Labour finally admits defeat on ID cards

I have spoken out on many occasions over the last 18 months on why the Labour Government was wrong in its belief that compulsory national identity cards were good for this country.

The fact is that very little evidence exists to suggest they would assist in the fight against terrorism and illegal working.

And then, of course, there were the cost implications. Towards the end of last year, the Home Office was forced to admit that the cost of the ID card scheme had risen to more than £5.6 billion – a quite staggering sum.

The London School of Economics had already predicted that the eventual bill would be an even more mind-boggling £20 billion.

It is with all of this in mind that I am pleased to learn that the Government has finally seen the error of its ways although, New Labour being what it is, we have only discovered this through a Home Office leak.

When he became Prime Minister last summer, Gordon Brown had the opportunity to draw a line under the fiasco and say he would not proceed with the scheme. But, as has become his trademark since he entered Number Ten, he dithered. And, as he dithered, more taxpayers’ money was wasted.

Ever since the steam of data loss fiascos began a few months ago with HM Customs and Revenue CDs disappearing in the post and, most recently, Ministry of Defence laptops going AWOL, we have heard arguments that ID cards should not be introduced as the Government could not be trusted with our personal data.

This is a very fair point. But the fact remains – the scheme should have been cancelled long before now.