Lib Dems oppose Big Brother Brown's ID cards (North Tayside Liberal Democrats)

North Tayside Liberal Democrats <info@libdems.org.uk>

Lib Dems oppose Big Brother Brown's ID cards

November 20, 2008 12:17 PM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat Justice spokesperson Robert Brown MSP has attacked the UK Government's proposals to introduce ID cards as being ineffective, expensive and unnecessary.

Commenting ahead of a debate in the Scottish Parliament, Mr Brown said:

"Liberal Democrats have led the fight against ID cards right across the UK. Labour at Westminster continues to erode our civil liberties with their dogmatic pursuit of ID cards and DNA Database.

"ID cards are a gross intrusion on an individual's personal freedom. They will not help one bit in the fight against terrorism, identity theft, benefit fraud or illegal immigration. .

"The Labour Government simply cannot be trusted when it comes to handling sensitive data. In the past twelve months alone we have seen no less than ten major disasters with data held by UK governments and agencies. It is also an expensive scheme, at least £5 billion by the Government's own estimates.

"The Scottish Parliament can send a powerful message to Big Brother Brown by supporting the Liberal Democrat amendment and opposing this wasteful government folly."