Campaign to fight ID cards

The ID card bill was announced in Wednesday's Queen's Speech

A Reading-based campaign has set out its opposition to identity cards after plans to introduce them were announced in the Queen's Speech.

Stuart Smith, of the Campaign to Stop the National Identity Card, says the proposal is an infringement of civil liberties.

The plans announced in Wednesday's Queen's Speech include fingerprint and Iris identification (biometric) information, being added to all passports, with a national ID card scheme within 10 years.

Civil liberties groups, including the Reading campaign, believe the cards will lead to a "Big Brother" state.

'Great fear'

They are worried that authorities will be able to monitor, and have greater control, over our day-to-day lives.

"It will start off very innocuous. We will have an identity card with not very much data on it, but as the years go by, more and more data will be added to the card, and this is what we greatly fear," said Mr Smith.

He says the aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the implications before all members of the public are compelled to carry one.

The government say ID cards are necessary to tackle illegal working and immigration, disrupt organised crime and terrorism and prevent abuse of public services and benefits.

The bill, as it stands in the Queens Speech, falls short of making ID cards compulsory.