The card is coming
ID cards will be expensive, but the government hopes nobody will notice
KEEN to show that the reduction in its parliamentary majority hasn't scared it off controversial legislation, the government this week brought back a bill to introduce identity cards. It is a calculated gamble. The Liberal Democrats have long opposed the bill and the Tories, who in the last parliament variously voted in favour and abstained, will join them. The shadow home secretary, David Davis, is a frontrunner for the Tory leadership and wants to impress the party's liberal wing.
This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “The card is coming”
From the May 28th 2005 edition
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