Blunkett’s gone but “law and order” policy stays
The temporary eclipse of David Blunkett’s career has predictably done nothing to halt the New Labour government’s helter-skelter progress on their authoritarian “law and order” agenda. The introduction of compulsory national identity cards will still go ahead by 2006. The reasons the Home Office gives for this are quite revealing. “It will: help protect the UK against terrorism, organised crime, identity theft, illegal immigration and illegal working; allow UK citizens to travel and carry out everyday transactions easily and securely; and ensure that public services are only used by those...