Have identity cards become an "if" not a "when"?

In his set-piece year-opener with The Observer, Gordon Brown asks himself what problems the introduction of identity cards would solve, then seems to have difficulty answering. Foreign nationals living in Britain will definitely get them, he says. But they will be voluntary for British citizens and suggests that their best use is in preventing identity theft, a touchy subject after the loss of the child benefit data discs. The language Mr Brown uses is strikingly equivocal, emphasising the continuing "debate" - even at one point introducing an "if".

Then, for kicks, compare and contrast with the way Tony Blair said that they were essential for fighting crime and terrorism.

GB: We are right to introduce the cards for foreign nationals ... As far as the individual (British) citizen is concerned - the danger for me and you in the modern world is that our identity is easily stolen. And I think if we were giving a better means by which people could protect their identity than in the private sector as well as in the public sector people are looking at biometrics. I mean, maybe in a few year's time to switch on your computer you will need biometrics rather than a password ... But look, this is part of the debate and I accept, look we are a country that prides ourselves on liberty, in civil liberties. It is very important that any debate about this starts from what is the problem you are trying to solve ... The fact that you have got biometrics now in a way that you didn't two centuries ago gives you opportunities to protect people's identity in a way that you could not have done two centuries ago and I don't think we should rule out the use of that. In fact I don't think most of the general public think that the use of biometrics is itself wrong, either for private transactions or for passports or whatever.

Q: So you are committed to ID cards?

GB: We are committed to the proposals that we put forward, which are essentially this, that the passport information that you now use to get your passport, linked to the biometrics that are now available, give you a better form of protection as an individual. But I am happy that this debate continues because I believe that over the course of the debate some of the preconceptions about cards and everything will be dealt with ... I think as far as individual British citizens are concerned, I don't think that people are philosophically against the use of biometrics for their private transactions or for their passports, and that is essentially identity management.

Update: The Prime Minister's spokesman insists that Mr Brown was not signalling a change of policy or attitude when he made these remarks, merely responding to aggressive questioning

Comments

[MJ Barry UK]

This sort of thinking sums up what is wrong about with the UK. The governments preocupation with creating more costs for the taxpayer. Wether they be foreign nationals or Uk citizens. Surely govenment should be working towards enabaling the tax payer to be prosperous not asset striping at every turn.

[Nick Longworth]

"responding to aggressive questioning"???
The question was: So you are committed to ID cards?
Crikey, can't get much more aggressive than that!

[K Wells]

The public in general have not yet caught up with the implication of universal ID cards. These things will be totally useless unless we have to carry them at all times, with penalties for not doing so.
Is the public ready for South African style pass laws.
If we do not have to carry them, and PC plod asks to see it, honest citizen will duly appear at the cop shop, dishonest citizen will not show.