THE Government is currently pushing a Bill through Parliament that is the second to affect our civil liberties.

In the spring of this year they forced through the Terrorism Act that allows our Government to place its citizens under house arrest in a similar manner to well-known despotic regimes such as Zimbabwe and apartheid-era South Africa. Now the Government wants us to carry identity cards.

Tony Blair has cited several reasons for these, but most have fallen by the wayside.

Meaningless arguments included "ID cards as being a potent weapon against terrorism" until it was pointed out that the 9/11 terrorists all carried current valid passports.

Then we were told that ID cards would help identify illegal immigrants but how will that help if it won't be compulsory to carry them?

Since then, benefit fraud, illegal health tourists and identity theft have all been wheeled out as reasons for ID cards, only to be wheeled back in again when it is proved this would not make an iota of difference to any of them.

Now that independent analysts have calculated the cost of a card could run to £300 per person, popularity is waning fast.

The most serious worry is that these two Bills fundamentally alter the relationship between the citizen and the state.

The state is here to serve the citizen and not to demand proof of identity on pain of house arrest without trial. That is why the Conservative Party (and the Liberal Democrats) is opposed to these Bills. Sadly, in the Terrorism Bill, Wyre Forest was denied a voice as our MP had a photo opportunity to get to.

However, I am very pleased to see that Dr Taylor voted against the Government on the ID Cards Bill and, while he supports the Conservatives on this and similar legislation, I shall be delighted to fully support him.

MARK GARNIER

Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman

Wyre Forest