ID cards 'wouldn't stop attacks'

"They wouldn't help, but we want them anyway" seems to be the Government's position on ID Cards in the wake of the London bombings. "Terrorists will not change our way of life", but "civil liberties might have to be curtailed" is Charles Clarke's squalid doublespeak, if not actual doublethink, reported here.

That the British people have dangerous enemies is not news. It remains to be seen whether they are from within or without. I can't help but fear that the naming of Syrian and North African suspects is more to do with community relations than crime detection. The biggest threat to our way of life,however, is not from feeble-minded barbarians, but from the Labour Government.

For now, ministers are doing their best to make political capital. The carefully modulated catches in Blair's voice when he spoke of the tragedy, so reminiscent of the ham theatricality of his reaction to the death of Princess Diana, were sickening. Especially so, when contrasted with the honest vigour of Ken Livingstone's statements. I disagree with Ken's politics, but he's an honest man.

It is marvelous to hear the stoic reactions, the determination not to be beaten, of ordinary Brits. However, they are facing grimly in the wrong direction and will now be ruthlessly used by people elected to serve them. The morons behind these incidents are no threat to our way of life. We will not allow them to be. The Government is. Within weeks, it will resume its onslaught on our liberties; its opponents further inhibited by a fear of seeming disloyal. This is a dangerous time.

BBC NEWS | Politics | ID cards 'wouldn't stop attacks'