KEETCH SPEAKS OUT AGAINST ID CARDS AND FEAR TACTICS.

12.00.00am GMT Tue 30th Nov 2004

Following on from the Queens speech the House of Commons will, today further discuss the implementation of the new ID cards scheme. Speaking last Thursday night at the AGM for the Hereford Liberal Democrats local MP Paul Keetch voiced his concerns over proposed ID cards system and the use of fear of terrorism to create political gains for the government.

"The government must not use the 'climate of fear' to justify draconian and unnecessary measures such as ID cards. It is important that we create a balance between our national security on one hand, and our civil liberties and freedoms on the other".

"This proposal is deeply flawed. It will not help to fight crime or terrorism. The terrorists who attacked New York and Madrid carried valid identity documents. Knowing someone's identity does not mean you can predict their behaviour. If the government really wants to make an impact on crime, terrorism and illegal immigration, the £3bn it has earmarked for this scheme would be far better spent on more police and more intelligence officers for MI5 and better border controls".

"This scheme has all the hallmarks of a government run IT disaster waiting to happen; after the huge mess created by the government's attempts to upgrade the DWP and the CSA it is totally clear that they are incapable of undertaking an IT operation of this size. As we come to rely on the ID card as a precondition for using services, errors on the database or cards left at home will mean people are seriously inconvenienced".