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Letters from the Telegraph on ID Cards

Sir - “Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves” (William Pitt, 1783).

Rodney McGough, Harrogate, N Yorks

Sir - We are told that it is possible to track by satellite millions of cars and the distances they travel, and compute bills for each. It must be a small step to link ID cards to the satellite, to eliminate not only terrorism but also tax fraud.

David Brookman, Old Woodhouse, Leics

Sir - At an EU summit in Lisbon in April 2000, member states signed up to the “e-Europe Smart Cards Charter”. In October 2001 the EU Police Chiefs Task Force urged that “the EU should speed up the universal adoption of ID cards”.

We could have our movements and lifestyles tracked through the introduction of EU ID-cards, with the EU Galileo satellite system tracking motorists, via the EU Common Transport Policy. Yet Brussels makes unelected EU commissioners, members of its own police force Europol and other officials immune from criminal prosecution.

Mrs Val Cowell, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancs

Sir - I am surprised the Government hasn’t proposed tattooing everyone with a number. More sophisticated would be an implanted chip such as my dog has -much cheaper than biometric ID cards.

Robert Roalfe, Wilmslow, Cheshire

Sir - We were denied a referendum to vote No to the new EU constitution. Perhaps Mr Blair could be persuaded to hold one for ID cards. He’d find out what people think before vast sums of our money are wasted on another crackpot scheme.

Trevor Jones, Corringham, Essex