I’ve had a response from a Tory MP (no, not the one that you all know I know) on the moronic decision to support the ID Card/police state mania.
Here is what the whips are putting out as talking points etc:

The Government has argued that identity cards could help tackle
terrorism, rising crime and illegal immigration.  The Conservative Party
will give its support in principle at this stage. This Bill will not get
through the Parliamentary process ahead of the election, so the message
of what the ID card will protect is more important than the reality of
what is proposed. I do not like the idea of ID cards, but I hate the
idea of looking to be soft on terrorism even more.
During the course of the Bill the Conservatives will continue to hold
ministers to account over our five tests:  the exact purpose of the
scheme; whether it will meet those objectives; whether this Home Office
is capable of delivering them; the cost effectiveness of the scheme; and
whether proper protection can be provided for privacy.
But it is important to remember that this Bill will take a decade to
come into full effect.  It will do nothing to solve the immediate
problems of rising crime and uncontrolled immigration.
Our priorities are controlled immigration and more police, rather than
ID cards.
In terms of immigration, Parliament will set an annual limit on the
number of people settling in the UK.  We will reintroduce 24-hour
surveillance at Britain’s ports.  And we will announce a "no switching"
visa rule.
In terms of crime, we will cut police paperwork and political
correctness, releasing more police to fight crime.  We will provide
effective treatment for drug addicts.  And we will end Labour’s early
release scheme.
It is no good Mr Blair using ID cards to cover up his complete failure
to deliver on his promises to be ‘tough on crime’ and to get a grip on
immigration.  Only the Conservatives will deliver controlled immigration
and more police".

That might be good politics but Jeez does it make me feel bad. How about supporting something (or opposing of course) simply because it is right to do so? There are times when all this triangulation has to be put to one side and simply stand up for what we all think being English actually means: freedom, liberty…well, you know all those stirring words.

You might be able to narrow down who the MP is next week from this more personal part of the message:

I will not be voting for it, it looks as if I have a pressing engagement
elsewhere at 10pm next Monday. The calculation is that with 80% in
favour (although they don’t really realise why and what it means)the
messaging that the ID cards debate will revolve around is how soft you
are on terrorism. This Bill will not get through Parliament this side of
the election and is a trap for us to have voted against it and then be
told that we were not tough on crime etc.