Civil liberties campaigners yesterday criticised the Home Secretary Mr Jack Straw's suggestion that adults could be issued with identity cards if Labour wins a second term.
Mr Straw told BBC Radio 4's Election Call that voluntary, wallet-sized ID cards could replace driving licences as the main form of identification. He admitted the plan was not mentioned in the party's manifesto, but added that technology was already being devised. Mr Straw stressed he was not in favour of compulsory ID documents.
The director of civil rights group Liberty, Mr John Wad ham, responded: "There is no such thing as a voluntary ID card because any card would rapidly become compulsory in practice."
