Lib Dems Show There is No Support for ID Cards in Leeds

9.00.00am GMT Fri 14th Dec 2007

Cllr Richard Brett (Burmantofts & Richmond Hill), Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Leeds City Council and Executive Board Portfolio Holder for Central & Corporate Services, has described the failure of the Council's Labour Group to effectively defend their own Governments proposals for Identity Cards at Wednesday's Council meeting as yet another 'nail in the coffin for this waste of money'.

Cllr Brett moved a White Paper calling for the withdrawal of the scheme immediately , and for the money saved to be used to provide more front line resources to combat crime.

Speaking after the meeting he said "No-one on the Labour side was able to effectively defend their own Government's scheme, and when it came to the vote they abstained rather than oppose our call, not a single member of the Council could bring themselves to vote against the Lib Dem White Paper".

"Over the last few weeks we have seen three key planks of the Government's argument that ID Cards are needed, and that they can deliver them effectively. Chief amongst these is their inability to keep personal data secure - we all know of their failure to keep bank details of 25 million individuals on the Child Benefit database secure.

"Secondly, it is clear that ID Cards are becoming more and more unaffordable - The Home Office estimates that the total cost of introducing ID cards over ten years will be £5.7 billion or £93 for every person in the country. But research by the London School of Economics has suggested that in reality this could be up to three times as much - we know that in Leeds this will drain funding from other essential services such as care for the elderly and maintaining our roads'.

"Thirdly, the government has an appalling track record of failure with large scale IT projects; they have overspent on IT projects by more than £1 billion over the past five years. ID cards will be far more complex than any government IT project so far attempted, are based on new and untested technology and I cannot believe that a government with such a dismal record on implementing IT projects will be able to do any better with implementing their ID Cards scheme."

Cllr Mark Harris (Moortown) Deputy Executive Board Member for Central and Corporate Services added: "If ID cards are introduced they will have a huge impact on the way that the council delivers its services. It is inferred that ID cards will be linked to the electoral register and could be needed to access benefits, pay council tax and even just visit a Library.

"A centrally devised ID card scheme would render local councils as nothing more than delivery mechanisms for central government. We have sent a clear message to Whitehall that we are determined not give up the power to govern our own affairs."