Ministers Lied to Public Shocker!

Tom McNulty the minister responsible for the implementation of the ID cards project has admitted that in its "enthusiasm" to bring them in the government exaggerated their benefits. That is, they lied to us. That they are not a panacea for terrorism or fraud is hardly news to anyone familiar with arguments against ID cards, but it's refreshing to see the government admit the truth.

It appears that the government are now going to push the line that ID cards will be "convenient" and make our lives easier. McNulty asserts, "There are now so many almost daily occasions when we have to stand up and verify our identity." He seems to have forgotten, however, that we deal perfectly well with those occasions as things are, suggesting that further forms of ID are unnecessary. The "convenience" argument recalls the similar case made for the European single currency that it would make it easier for tourists travelling to other European countries. Both are facile arguments obscuring real, serious, important questions. The suggestion that people are incapable of understanding those more complicated questions is more than a little condescending. Which is a good enough reason to be against either.