Identity Cards Bill

My Lords, I do not know where the noble Baroness, Lady Carnegy of Lour, has been canvassing opinion when she says that identity cards are becoming less popular. I took the opportunity this weekend of canvassing opinion at Tynecastle Park, where there was a large number of people. We were there for other purposes but, in quiet moments, I took the opportunity of discussing identity cards. I know it may seem a little eccentric, but I got some very positive responses to this issue. The astonishing intervention from the noble Lord, Lord Saatchi, was the most compelling argument in favour of identity cards that I have heard in this whole debate. With no disrespect to the Minister, or anyone on these Benches, it was a powerful intervention. It also reminded me that, when the Tories were elected, it was probably not the specific wording in their manifesto that convinced the electorate, but those wonderful posters that turned the tide. What was the name of the company that produced them? My real point is in relation to the noble Lord, Lord Phillips, who I got to know extremely well on the Joint Committee on the Charities Bill when I was in the Commons. I developed great respect and admiration for his ingenuity and cleverness. The noble Viscount, Lord Bledisloe, and the noble Lord, Lord Campbell of Alloway, have said, ““This is a compromise; this is something new””. Let us be straightforward and honest about exactly what is happening. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being party political—I have been even accused of being party-political since I came in here—it is perfectly respectable but we ought to be open about it. Over the past few weeks, the noble Lord, Lord Phillips, using his ingenuity, has come up with Motion D1, then Motion A1, then another Motion A1. Over the weekend, by some process of osmosis, suddenly the noble Baroness, Lady Anelay, thinks, ““Hey, that’s a good idea. I’ll get all my forces, including the noble Baroness, Lady Thatcher, to support that wonderful amending Motion””. So we had Motion A1, then another Motion A1. The noble Viscount, Lord Bledisloe, said he would support it on this occasion. I say to the noble Viscount that this will go back to the House of Commons, which will say no even more resoundingly. Next time we meet, I can guarantee that the noble Lord, Lord Phillips, will come up with an even more ingenious amendment. Then we will be faced with yet another opportunity. That is not the reality of what is happening. The reality is that the Liberal Democrats in particular—supported, to some extent, for other reasons, by the Tories—have always wanted to completely scupper this Bill. They have looked for opportunity after opportunity and they will continue to do so. The sooner non-political people here realise what is going on in the political parties, the better.