ID cards for Britons pushed back two years claim Tories (Roundup)

By Rich Bowden, M&C Staff Writer Jan 23, 2008, 11:55 GMT

The British Houses of Parliament in central London, 03 June 2007. A plan for compulsory ID cards for all UK citizens will be forced back two years claim Tories. EPA/ANDY RAIN

(M&C) - A plan for compulsory ID cards for all UK citizens will be forced back two years claim Tories.

The Opposition has claimed it has a leaked Home Office document in its possession which shows the granting of compulsory ID cards has been put back to 2012.

The original plan was to "issue significant volumes of ID cards alongside British passports by 2010".

Shadow immigration minister Damian Green told the BBC: "It's clear that there are enormous practical difficulties in putting 50 different pieces of personal information including addresses of 60 million British citizens plus lots of foreigners into a single database."

"I think the reality is just beginning to bite ministers on this, so this delay is the first sign of reality intruding, let's hope there are more to come."

However Home Office minister Tony McNulty said to reporters the ID card system, claimed by former prime minister Tony Blair as a "central plank" in Labour's manifesto, was "on target". Mr McNulty refused to comment on the validity of the leaked document.

Foreign nationals living in the UK will have ID cards issued this year as planned.