Identity Cards Bill

My father fought from 1941 until he was captured in 1944 at the age of 31 commanding a regiment of yeomanry cavalry in Normandy. What he fought for was not that we should all be forced to carry identity cards; he fought so that people in silly hats should not have the right to stop us in the street and ask, ““Ihre papieren, bitte””. The list of what is registrable comprises the list of those facts which any tyrannical government would want. The Bill should not be called the national Identity Cards Bill; it should be called the National Control of the Subject Bill. With it one can interfere, see and discover every single piece of information about people. The noble Lord opposite says that people like the idea of identity cards. However, I bet that they will not when they realise their implications. I bet they will not want them when they realise that everyone is allowed to interfere in and know about their affairs. There is no point in having the thing unless you can be stopped by a policeman with exactly the same result as in Holland—people will be fined for not carrying their identity cards. People like me will probably be locked up for refusing to carry an identity card. When I am going about my lawful business, it is no one’s business to stop me and say, ““Where are you going?””. That is what my ancestors fought for Parliament for and why they have been in Parliament solidly since the 14th century. That is why I believe passionately in the importance of the liberty of the individual and of the subject. This clause regarding a register goes too far. It is the instrument of bossyboots and tyrants. The trouble with the present Administration is that they have introduced Bill after Bill attacking our various liberties. They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. I hope that when—and I mean ““when”” advisedly—there is a Conservative government, the first thing they will have is a list of the Acts passed by this Government, and they will remove the tyrannical aspects of that legislation about which the present Government seem to be so self-satisfied and smugly happy.