[garinda]

Originally Posted by Meccy

I'm all for humour Garinda, I just thought that a person with your acumen would have used a more structured argument.

As to ID cards in the war, it was a necessary evil in a time of national peril. The were not needed afterwards and were abandoned. As to their efficacy, much the same as now - very easily forged and therefore useless. The only parties to gain in this are the agents of the state, collecting more and more data about us all. That's OK with a benign government but who can guarantee what kind of party will be in power in 10 , 20 or 50 years. It could so easily happen.

The argument that if you have nothing to hide that you have nothing to fear doesn't wash either. Again, with a benign government, no problem. Just think what life would be like if your every move could be tracked, the state looking over your shoulder all the time. That will come even closer with road pricing. It would, of course, be "For our own good"; but I don't want to live in a society like that, would you?

We need to protect our hard-won freedoms.

If you carry a mobile phone it is already possible to track your movements. Indeed some very naughty people have already been convicted using such evidence.

What a liberty!

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but hasn't holy war been declared against western democracy?

If the introduction of idenity cards stops one more innocent person dieing as a result of a terrorist's bomb, then it will have been worth my loss of liberty by having to have an identity card.

What a liberty!