The problem with the scheme as I see it is not the ID cards themselves.

The ID cards are linked to national databases and originally was going to store a massive amount of data on people, but now is *ONLY* going to include personal & biometric details, details of all other formal IDs (passports and licenses), Immigration data and a history of every time the id is used. The Home Office can also add to this list as they want.

Combine this with other eroded civil liberties such as:

Government pushing for 42 days detention without trial (down form the proposed 90 days, currently 28 days).
Our capital city, London has the worlds densest population of CCTV cameras with a nationwide average of 1 CCTV to 14 people.
A DNA database which includes anyone who is suspected of a crime (No samples purged even if later found completely innocent)
Restriction on right to protest through exclusion zones near parliament in which you require a permit in order to assemble
Legislation which will require ISPs and Telecomms companies to keep records of every internet and telephone communication

Anyone who says the UK isn't sleepwalking into an orwellian society is mad.

I appreciate that there are terrorists about who would like to do harm to our society, but we managed through the IRA troubles without all these laws. In fact when the government of the time tried to hold IRA suspects without trial in 1971 it only helped drive support for the extremists. Anyone think that Guantanamo endears western countries to muslims? If we erode our liberties we will end up in a society just as oppressed as those we oppose. The terrorists will have won.

Interestingly, A little under 40,000 people in the UK want Jeremy Clarkson as Prime Minister, and have signed a petition on the Downing Street web site http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/PMClarkson/. Ironic that the reason he got stung was trying to disprove the risk of ID theft after the recent child benefit data loss. I guess he really is suited for the job.