I am opposed to ID cards. They are absolutely wrong. But there is one thing – just one thing – that could possibly make me more disgusted at this government’s attempt to infringe our human rights.

That would be this story:

Identity cards could be handed out to children as young as 14, a home office minister has suggested.

The first ID cards are due to be offered to 16 and 17-year-olds from 2010 as part of a plan to introduce the controversial scheme in stages.

But Meg Hillier said the age range was still “up for grabs” and could be lowered “if they prove popular”. (BBC)

So, what, you’re gonna give them to kids like they’re sweeties? And use the slogan “indoctrination iz kool,” eh?

The very concept is almost indescribly disgusting.

It gives the phrase “get them while they’re young” a much more sinister countenance doesn’t it? Get them while they’re young, before they know any better, before they have developed any concept of privacy and understanding of how the State controls.

But they might try and overstep themselves in one way:

Ms Hillier said a ministerial working party was considering extending the scheme to younger children and was talking to the universities and youth groups about the idea.

Try and get university student to carry ID cards would be a step to far, methinks. No university student would accept such an imposition, such State control.*

Almost as revolting as the idea to indoctinate kids before they’re old enough to think for themselves is the comment by Meg Hillier that

the scheme might be too far advanced for the Tories to “unpick” if they came to power in 2010.

Why, precisely? It would be easy enough to declare any issued ID cards invalid and downgrade the database. Labour are deluded if they think that they can get ID cards so embedded that it can not be weeded out by an incoming Conservative government – especially with the full support of the Lib Dems. And they are showing their authoritarian tendencies with the attempt to defie democracy in this way.

It’s almost indescribably disgusting.

* The NUS might, but they’re not real university students.