In reaction to David Blunkett's statement this morning on the possible introduction of national identity cards, Liberty's Campaigns Director Mark Littlewood said:

"To introduce ID cards now would be an insane and suicidal step for this government to take. The Cabinet needs to rein in the Home Secretary. The polling evidence makes plain that millions of British citizens would refuse point blank to carry a card. Criminalising - and potentially even imprisoning - tens of thousands of people is not a smart of way of making friends and influencing people. Spending billions of pounds of taxpayers' money on a scheme with no proven benefits would be a recipe for disaster. Experience from other countries with ID cards show they are costly, unwieldly, unhelpful and a real threat to our civil liberties. The government should take a step back, a long deep breath and put these proposals where they belong - in the dustbin of history."