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Blair's master-juggler cries freedom (and ID cards)

Steve Richards
Sunday 30 September 2001 00:00 BST
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David Blunkett is having a good pre-war. While most of his cabinet colleagues have disappeared from view, Mr Blunkett seems to be everywhere. In contrast to other ministers, he has a tangible policy agenda to deliver. Tougher anti-terrorist laws and increased security measures, including the possible introduction of ID cards, may be complex and controversial, but that suits Mr Blunkett.

He currently faces the classic moral dilemma – one person's freedom could jeopardise another person's security. The dilemma is faced most immediately this weekend. Mr Blunkett was involved in the decision to go ahead with the Labour conference in Brighton in spite of fears about security. Freedom of speech, and the desire to behave as normally as possible, prevailed. "There is the message that we must live our lives openly and freely and that our economic and social wellbeing would be undermined if we don't," he said.

Mr Blunkett was speaking shortly after the launch of his new book, Politics and Progress: Renewing Democracy and Civil Society, published by the Blairite thinktank Demos.Among those at the launch were Cherie Blair, her press secretary, Fiona Millar (Alastair Campbell's partner), Peter Mandelson and a sprinkling of cabinet ministers. It looked like the launch of a leadership bid.

In an indirect way, perhaps it was. Mr Blunkett is acquiring a growing band of admirers, including some in Downing Street who do not necessarily regard Gordon Brown as Tony Blair's automatic successor. The Blairites admired the way Mr Blunkett pursued his education reforms, balancing the need to recruit teachers with the imposition of reforms.

Now he has another balancing act – tackling the terrorist threat without creating a Muslim backlash in Britain. Last week he met Muslim leaders. They were "very positive and very clear that all of us, including the media, had a role to play in reinforcing their citizenship and their commitment to being part of our nation".

After the summer riots in Bradford, Burnley and Oldham, Mr Blunkett was already reviewing the laws on racial hatred. "They said that it was very important that it was not just racial discrimination, it was religious discrimination and phraseology that mattered. I promised them that we would look at whether we should include religion along with race in terms of incitement and inflammatory language. I am doing that."

Mr Blunkett has been accused by the Daily Mail of failing to act against the extremists sheltering behind Britain's liberal laws to promote jihad. More liberal voices have accused him of being too authoritarian. Again balancing both sides, he cautions against destroying freedom of speech by a blanket crackdown on the extremists. "The popular feeling is, 'Go for them.' But there is absolutely no point in arresting them if you can't secure a prosecution, and if you change the law you will only do so with the greatest reluctance. Freedom of dissent is fundamental to democracy."

Here is another difficult balancing act he has been performing since being promoted from the education department to the Home Office. Downing Street was worried that Mr Blunkett's proposal this summer to tackle the rising tide of asylum-seekers by adopting ID cards would reopen accusations of "control-freakery".

He was told to float the idea, but the debate raged before he had the chance to explain his plans fully. If the plan goes ahead, it will not be an ID card, as such. It will be a "citizenship card" as a "passport" to public services and welfare benefits. It will be compulsory, but will not give the police powers to stop and search.

"It won't mean the return of the 'sus' laws; in fact the reverse. I announced in July we are consulting on the recommendation of the Stephen Lawrence report that anyone who is stopped has a written explanation of why."

Blunkett is kite-flying. He shows every sign of supporting ID cards, but in Blairite style wants public opinion on his side before going ahead. Not that he courts popularity. He fights his corner, and even took on the mighty Gordon Brown on occasion over cash for schools. Perhaps the two of them will fight a leadership battle at some point. But for now, political minds are focused on a much bigger battle than that.

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