Revenge of the ID

Dear Tessa Jowell,

As we approach another debate on the proposed ID Cards Bill, I wonder if you could find time to answer a few questions about the Bill and your position on it.

Do you agree that, as Patricia Hewitt states, all MPs should stick solidly to the Labour manifesto "that they were voted in on"? Do you feel that no Labour MPs were voted in *despite* the manifesto? Do you feel that no Labour MPs were voted in *despite* Tony Blair's ongoing leadership?

Do you feel that the spirit of Patricia Hewitt's statement is that all Labout MPs should follow the party line at all times, irrespective of the needs of the people they have been elected to represent? Do you feel this would constitute a positive or negative effect on democracy? Do you fear we may be heading for an elective dictatorship?

Current tests of the technology are falling short of the needed level of reliability. Do you feel it is timely to pass the Bill before the biometrics technology is ready?

It was stated during the last debate that Government was wiser now about large-scale digitial databases. What lessons *have* been learnt from previous bungled Government instigated large-scale databases?

Why, if the ID card system will pay for itself, are the public being asked to foot the bill?

How do you see the increase in Police powers with respect the introduction of ID cards effecting relations between Police and the ethnic population within your own constituency? How do you see the tests on the ID cards effecting race relations considering the iris scanning's poor results with ethnic minorities?

Given the consititutional nature of the proposed ID Bill, what efforts have you made to find out the opinion of your constituents?

Can you explain in practical terms how the existence of compulsory ID cards will, in the words of the Home Office Minister, "help tackle illegal immigration, organised crime, ID fraud, terrorism and will benefit all UK citizens."

Can you demonstrate a link between the introduction of biometric ID in America with a decrease in America of ID theft?

Can you explain the hurry?

Yours sincerely,

Simon Scott