'AN END TO COMPULSION?' The Daily Mail editorial (1.7.09) would have us believe: "So that's it, then. In a single sentence, uttered after six years of debate, Home Secretary Alan Johnson consigns New Labour's £5bn flagship to the seabed." The BBC got it right: "But Mr Johnson said the ID card scheme was still very much alive - despite Tory and Lib Dem calls to scrap it". The Times too: "But the Government is to press ahead with creating a national identity register (NIR) which, from 2011-12, will include the details of everyone who applies for a passport. Legislation to be debated next week will make it an offence punishable by a fine of up to £1,000 not to inform the Government of a change of address or name as it appears on the register." The IPS/Home Office press release: confirms: "The rollout of identity cards will be accelerated to the North-West under new proposals." Henry Porter of the Guardian has some good insights: He noted that Alan Johnson is merely avoiding pre-election showdowns with unions. He also pointed out a Home Office document out last week, describing plans to increase dependence on the ID card and NIR for 'transformational government'. Philip Johnston in the Telegraph summarses what hasn't changed: He describes the National Identity Register and also how fingerprinting might take the place of a card. |