MPs Alan & Ann Keen break pledge on ID cards

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 30th Mar 2006

Visit the Lib Dem website (link below) for more information on the case against ID cards

Hounslow Borough MPs Alan & Ann Keen have been accused of breaking a manifesto commitment by voting to make identity cards compulsory for anybody applying for a passport.

Following the passage into law of the Identity Cards Bill yesterday, Andrew Dakers, Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for Brentford & Isleworth, said:

"Ann Keen was elected last May on a manifesto pledge to introduce voluntary identity cards. Last night she broke that pledge.

"The only way in which people will be able to opt out of the system is by giving up their right to travel abroad, which is an outrageous thing to demand."

Satnam Kaur Khalsa, Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for Feltham & Heston, added:

"The Liberal Democrats wanted to ensure that no-one would be forced to have an ID card until after the last possible date for the next general election - so any party wanting to make ID cards compulsory would need a general election mandate to do so.

"We had a real opportunity to guarantee a real debate and a general election before anyone was forced to have an ID card. I am disappointed that Alan Keen disagrees with this and did not join the seven of his colleagues who supported this Liberal Democrat call.

"I am also disappointed that the Conservatives, who had been supporting us on this, backed down and caved in to the Government at the last minute."

NOTES TO EDITORS

1) Labour's 2005 general election manifesto said: "We will introduce ID cards, including biometric data like fingerprints, backed up by a national register and rolling out initially on a voluntary basis as people renew their passports."

2) The March 29th vote means that:

(a) Identity cards will be compulsory for anyone getting a new or renewed passport on or after January 1st 2010 - which means that we could well have compulsory (in effect) ID cards ahead of the next general election, which need not happen until May 2010;

(b) People who apply for new or renewed passports before January 1st 2010 will have their names and details put on the new national identity register (although they will not be forced to have an ID card). It is not certain yet when this will apply from as the Government have not said when the national identity register will be in place.

Related Link:

The Liberal Democrats' case against ID cards