Lib Dems Disappointment As Labour Council Fail to Join Fight Against ID Cards

12.00.00am GMT Wed 5th Oct 2005

There was disappointment in the Haringey council chamber last night as not one single Haringey Labour councillor voted against the Government's ID card proposals.

In a motion proposed by Liberal Democrat councillor Laura Edge, Haringey Council was urged to signal strong opposition to ID cards on behalf of local residents. Haringey Labour chose to ignore this opportunity to stand up for the borough's residents and instead played party politics - amending the motion to talk only about one aspect of the debate, that of the huge financial cost of the ID cards scheme.

Cllr Edge (Lib Dem, Stroud Green) comments:

"The cost is a significant and worrying part of the Government's flawed scheme to force ID cards on Haringey residents. However, the cards will also erode civil liberties and have a discriminatory effect on ethnic minorities and vulnerable communities and it is disappointing that Haringey Labour have failed to take the opportunity to fight the introduction of ID cards. Local residents will once again feel let down by Labour and I find it hard to believe that not one single Labour councillor here in Haringey will be campaigning against ID cards on their behalf."

Cllr Matt Davies (Lib Dem, Fortis Green) seconded the motion and said:

"Haringey Labour's amendment is no more than an apology for their Government's intention to force through ID cards. This was in the Labour General Election manifesto - a manifesto completely rejected by voters in Hornsey & Wood Green and a manifesto which resulted in a big increase in the vote for the excellent Lib Dem candidate in Tottenham, who is publicly committed to opposing ID cards."

"ID cards are the wrong answer to the wrong problem. They would be another layer of bureaucracy, another opportunity for fraud and another opportunity for discrimination - all with the added bonus of the theft of our civil liberties"