<http://www.mirror.co.uk/printable_version.cfm?method=printable_version_mirror&objectid=14995733&siteid=50143> TROUBLE ON THE CARDS By Bob Roberts Deputy Political Editor PLANS to bring in compulsory ID cards are to be hit by a double rebellion in the Commons today. Up to 30 Labour MPs are expected to oppose controversial Government moves to introduce the cards by 2008. And Tory leader Michael Howard - who has given his backing to the cards - is also facing a revolt by his own MPs as up to 40 "go missing" in the vote. Senior Tory Damian Green yesterday branded the cards "authoritarian" and said: "They will make us less free without making us safer." And Mr Howard's own head of policy David Cameron says the cards are a "waste of money". Earlier he said: "Is it time for national identity cards to deal with the problems of illegal immigration, crime and foreign visitors abusing our NHS? My answer is 'No'." Campaign group No2ID called the plan "pointless, expensive and an abuse of human rights". National group co-ordinator Mark Littlewood warned demonstrations would follow. He said: "With the level of opposition we're experiencing, a backlash on the scale of the anti-war demonstrations looks likely." Yesterday Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy urged the government to delay the plan, to give time to "pause and reflect". He added: "That is the sensible way to go about it but I think this Government has got itself so much into tram lines now that it is not behaving sensibly at all." If a large number of Tories fail to vote on the Bill it could plunge Mr Howard into a new leadership crisis. But incoming Home Secretary Charles Clarke is expected to sweep aside calls for a delay when he faces the Commons for the first time in his new role. He insisted: "I certainly shall not pause. I will go ahead with the legislation. "Identity cards are a means of trying to create a secure society. I have always been a supporter." Despite the rebels, the Bill introducing the cards is expected to be voted through by a combination of loyal Tories and Labour MPs. Mr Clarke is expected to announce that the poor and pensioners will get cut-price ID cards to ease the cost, predicted to be around #85. The former Education Secretary will also promise tough punishments for anybody caught abusing the sensitive personal information which will be held on a massive computerised database. And he will insist cards will help the fight against terrorism, organised crime and illegal immigration. The credit card-sized documents will be issued from 2008 to anyone who applies for or renews a passport. The proposals were first introduced by David Blunkett. The ID cards will carry "biometric" details about each bearer, such as fingerprints or an electronic scan of the iris of the eye. These details - along with a photograph, signature, date of birth, address and nationality - will also be stored on the central register. Officials will be able to compare data on the card with the register, theoretically making them impossible to fake. Top -- ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@ibuc.com> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'