Lib Dems oppose ID cards for Foreign Nationals

12.13.39pm GMT Wed 26th Nov 2008

Liberal Democrat Justice spokesperson and MSP for Glasgow Robert Brown has condemned the Labour Government's introduction of ID cards for foreign nationals as a gross intrusion on an individual's personal freedoms.

As of today, the first biometric cards are being issued to students from outside the EU and marriage visa holders. This is the first stage of the Government's plans for a national roll-out of ID card for everyone in the UK.

Anti-ID card organisation NO2ID are holding a protest outside the Home Office Immigration Centre in Glasgow today against the issuing of ID cards to foreign nationals.

Commenting, Mr Brown said:

"Liberal Democrats strongly oppose the introduction of ID cards. They are expensive and recent events show that government cannot be trusted with personal data.

"ID cards are a gross intrusion on an individual's personal freedom and will not help one bit in the fight against terrorism, identity theft, benefit fraud or illegal immigration.

"The unpleasant title of “Identity Cards for Foreign Nationals” implies that the recipients are aliens from countries of which we know nothing. This is a damning indictment of the Labour Government's paranoid approach to immigration and foreign nationals."