A LSE study has put the potential cost of compulsory national ID cards at between £12Bn-£18Bn*.
That's worth at least 120 new hospitals... or facilities saved... or money to top up community healthcare and education...
It could also provide a lot more funding for police patrols and measures that would actually make us safer...
That money could also keep quite a few post offices open, lower Council Tax bills and provide the things that local people want.
(* Pro rata the cost to the borough would be roughly £34m-£51m - 190,000 people out of 67m cards. Given London's higher GDP, £46m-£71m on our taxes could be read, with a greater impact on a transient population. A 30% annual turnover would balance the very young (under 5s?) not liable for ID.)
(* Or you could simply take the Home Office figure of £300 each (cf. Private Eye) x 190,000 = £57m)