MP calls on Government to save billions by cancelling ID cards (Cambridge Liberal Democrats)

Cambridge Liberal Democrats <camlibdems@gmail.com>

MP calls on Government to save billions by cancelling ID cards

November 9, 2007 12:00 PM

David Howarth, MP for Cambridge, has joined campaigners against ID cards to call on Gordon Brown to cancel the controversial identity cards programme and save the country billions of pounds.

Citing Home Office figures published today, Mr Howarth said:

"Even the government now admits that stopping the ID card scheme today would save the country over a billion pounds, while independent experts say the savings would be far larger. Gordon Brown should have the courage to cancel this white elephant now, before it become's Labour's Poll Tax."

Andrew Watson, Cambridge Coordinator of the NO2ID campaign, said

"The government claims that most of its estimated £5.4 billion bill for ID cards would have to be spent anyway to fingerprint everyone for their passports.

David Howarth with speakers and NO2ID banner

David Howarth and Andrew Watson speak at a NO2ID campaign meeting

"This isn't true. Countries like Australia and the USA won't fingerprint people for passports, and Britain doesn't have to either. Stopping the ID cards programme now would save billions and remove a major threat to everyone's privacy and security."