SHEFFIELD SHOULD SHUN ID CARDS

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 2nd Jun 2009

Liberal Democrats on Sheffield City Council are set to propose that Sheffield rules itself out of any ID Cards pilot or feasibility study. The news comes after the recent announcement that there will be an ID Cards pilot in Manchester, starting in Autumn this year. The Lib Dems will put the proposal to a meeting of full Council tomorrow as part of a motion which will oppose the Labour Government's ID Cards scheme.

The motion also includes proposals for local Council services not to require an ID Card unless forced to by law and for the Council to affiliate to the national NO2ID campaign.

Cllr Paul Scriven, the Liberal Democrat Leader of Sheffield City Council, said "Labour's plan to force compulsory ID Cards on us is waste of money and it won't stop crime or terrorism. Liberal Democrats fundamentally disagree with the introduction of ID Cards and we believe that the majority of local people in Sheffield wouldn't be interested in being volunteered as guinea pigs."

ID Cards are forecast to cost the taxpayer over £5.2billion. In addition individuals would be charged over £90 each to obtain an ID Card.

Paul added "In this time of deep recession £5billion pounds could be better spent on supporting local businesses and low income families. I hope that all the political groups on the Council will back our proposals and send a clear message to the Government that we don't want them to waste money on expensive, intrusive and ineffective ID Cards."