Letter: Card vote for all of Britain

Sir: I am prompted to write by your report that ministers are considering introducing personal identity cards for building workers in Northern Ireland ('ID cards plan for building workers', 19 April).

I would be less suspicious of continued proposals by the Government to introduce national identity cards if it were also proposed that the identity cards should be employed as electronic voting cards in British referendums. Such voting cards could operate in the manner of cards used at bank cash dispensers, if a national network of electronic voting points should be established.

With electronic voting cards, the British population could be frequently and easily consulted on a whole range of issues in national referendums. This would be a step towards a more participatory system of democracy.

Yours sincerely,

A. CHABLO

Oxford

20 April