Cabinet leak hits Blunkett's ID card plan

Letter from Straw warns of 'large-scale debacle'
David Blunkett's hopes of getting his compulsory identity card scheme into next month's Queen's speech suffered a fresh blow yesterday with the leak of warnings from his colleagues that it should be shelved before it causes a huge public backlash.

A letter from Jack Straw, the foreign secretary, to his cabinet colleagues makes clear that the objections raised at the highest level are substantial: "The potential for a large-scale debacle which harms the government is great," warns Mr Straw in a five-page letter. He also points out that a £40 charge for a compulsory ID card would have to be classified as a tax by government statisticians.

Mr Straw proposed his own national identity card scheme to the cabinet in 1998 when he was home secretary but was persuaded to drop the idea and use the money to recruit an extra 5,000 police officers instead.

Mr Blunkett, who has the backing of the prime minister for his scheme, is still hoping that he will get a "paving bill" authorising the necessary preparatory work included in this autumn's legislative programme.

He has already acknowledged that the cabinet is divided over the idea, with Gordon Brown, Mr Straw and Patricia Hewitt among those sceptical about its value. The cabinet is expected to make a final decision next month.

The delay contrasts with the endorsement of the cabinet's public expenditure committee, chaired by Mr Brown, for preparatory work to go ahead on the creation of a national population computer database which could be used as a foundation stone for an ID card scheme.

In Mr Straw's confidential letter, leaked to the Sunday Times and dated September 24, he says: "I believe the proposed plan is flawed and no tinkering with particular issues will be able to resolve what is a fundamental political matter.

"We remain as far apart as ever on the acceptability of charging. How will we get people to accept a fee system when asylum seekers get the card free?

"What about the practicality of ensuring every citizen provides a biometric [such as an iris photograph or fingerprint] sample while no effective procedures are in place for those who refuse?

"The potential for a large-scale debacle which harms the government is great, and any further decisions on the next steps must be made collectively. I will continue to urge strongly that this issue be shelved."

Mr Straw also warns of potential loopholes that could be exploited by economic migrants; a £33m loss of Foreign Office income in passport fees; unnecessary spats with the European courts over compatibility of cards; the need for the Irish to introduce an ID card; and the need to safeguard the position of the 15 million Britons who live abroad.

A second letter from the chief secretary to the Treasury, Paul Boateng, told Mr Blunkett: "There may well be alternative options that would provide us with a series of quick wins with much lower risks and costs."

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