Released 15th January 2003

Charter88 are sceptical about David Blunkett's comments today about entitlement cards for citizens of the UK.

Karen Bartlett, Director of Charter88 said: "The government now claims to support a simple card for proof of identity, instead of an all-singing, all-dancing smart card with information gathered from various government agencies.

We believe that any form of ID card will be an expensive folly and will pave the way for gradual abuse of our basic human rights. Ordinary people will pay the price, not just in terms of high set up costs and fees,but more worryingly through their loss of privacy.

Unlike our European neighbours, we do not have a written constitution to counterbalance any extension of state power against our rights as individuals. Governments come and go, but the State is ever-present.

Without a written constitution our rights as are not guaranteed in the long-term.

We firmly believe the proposals are an attempt by the government at 'function creep' Once an ID card system has been set up, further information could be gradually added to the original system incrementally.

We do not know which controls or restrictions the Government would introduce to limit access to sensitive information, but the system is open to future amendment or misuse.

Article 8 of the European Convention says that any form of ID cards must be proven to be necessary, but the government has failed to make the case. Having flip-flopped from one justification to the next, the government now admits that ID cards would not be significant in combating terrorism, benefit fraud, nor crime generally.

So why do we need them at all?"