Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Cabinet plot deals blow to ID cards

James Burleigh
Sunday 12 October 2003 00:00 BST
Comments

A cabinet plot involving Jack Straw and Gordon Brown is aiming to deal a fatal blow to the Prime Minister's plans to introduce obligatory identity cards, according to cabinet papers leaked yesterday.

Confidential letters from the Foreign Secretary and the Treasury have been written to cabinet colleagues vociferously condemning the plans drawn up by the Home Secretary, David Blunkett. Both letters were sent out days before Tony Blair backed Mr Blunkett's initiative in his speech to the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth, according to The Sunday Times.

In a six-page critique of the scheme, Mr Straw describes the plans as "flawed", adding that "no tinkering with particular issues will be able to resolve what is a fundamental political matter". It is the first time that the depth of divisions within the Cabinet over the plans has been revealed. So far, only Patricia Hewitt, the Trade and Industry Secretary, has gone public on her objections.

The revelations now make it highly unlikely the plan will make it into next month's Queen's Speech.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in