The implementation of identity cards has been called a criminal's dream scenario. Just imagine one day being apprehended by the police/fraud squad/ anti-terrorist squad/MI5,/Customs & Revenue/passport officials/bailiffs or whatever because some scally has hacked into the database (or found your details on a file left in a taxi) assumed your identity and perpetrated any number of offences in your name. You could end up spending a huge amount of time and money proving your innocence.

And that's before new governments with new legislation and new agendas decide that they can make use of all this lovely data they have on individuals to..................?