Lib Dem council group congratulates Prime Minister on abandoning compulsory ID cards

11.56.00am GMT Fri 30th Oct 2009

Oldham's Liberal Democrats are to propose a Council motion congratulating the Prime Minister on finally confirming that he has abandoned plans for compulsory ID cards.

The motion will be proposed by Councillor Jackie Stanton to the full Council meeting on Wednesday 4th November.

Councillor Jackie Stanton said: "We are delighted to see the government finally beginning to listen to advice from the Liberal Democrats and other campaigners against this costly and useless scheme. A compulsory ID cards scheme is unworkable and would not help fight crime or terrorism, as the Lib Dems have pointed out ever since the scheme was first conceived."

Councillor Mark Alcock, who is seconding the motion, said: "At a time of the deepest recession on record, spending many billions on a white elephant like ID cards would be an appalling waste of money.

Elwyn Watkins, Parliamentary Spokesperson for Oldham East & Saddleworth, added: "The time has now come for Labour to abandon this multi-billion pound scheme altogether. If the government really wanted to crack down on crime it would spend the money it saved on an extra 10,000 police officers."