Sollitt - "More police would be better than the unworkable ID Card system"

11.58.45am GMT Sat 8th Jan 2005

Steve Sollitt, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesman for Southampton Test has welcomed news that the Liberal Democrats have stepped up the campaign against ID cards.

The Liberal Democrats would rather spend the millions ID cards will cost on police and intelligence services. We will fund an extra 10,000 police as well as the 20,000 community support officers already in the Government's plans. Our police will spend less time filling in forms and more time out on the streets with new technology to help fight crime.

Tony Blair has changed his views on ID Cards. In 1995, in a speech to the Labour Party Conference he said "Instead of wasting hundreds of millions of pounds on compulsory ID cards as the Tory Right demand, let that money provide thousands of extra police officers on the beat in our local communities.".

Steve says "Mr Blair has clearly changed his position on this issue completely. I suspect he will argue that the increased risk of terrorism has changed his mind but I.D. cards would not have stopped the 9/11 tragedy or the Madrid bombing. Most experts agree that I.D. cards will do little to counter the threat of terrorism. The money could much better be spent on crime fighting measures

The Conservatives are deeply split on ID cards. Michael Howard backs them but others, such as Shadow Home Secretary David Davis and Shadow Environment Secretary Tim Yeo, are opposed, believing them incompatible with a 'smaller government' agenda.

Steve said, "Liberal Democrats have a n' excellent record in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour at a local level and understand the importance of community policing. The ID card system is not only costly but unworkable"