British government to spread ID cards message to school children

The Home Secretary will be spreading the message on identity cards among schoolchildren today.

Jacqui Smith is meeting students before attending a police presentation on combating gang-related crime in Manchester.

She is visiting Newall Green High School in Wythenshawe, a deprived part of the city.

The school is a specialist arts, science with mathematics and vocational college, with around 900 pupils.

Two years ago the school inspectorate Ofsted judged Newall Green to be “outstanding”.

A Home Office spokesman said Ms Smith is expected to “discuss with students how identity cards will help them strike out on their own.”

She will also give a speech about identity cards to business and community leaders at Manchester Town Hall.

The Home Secretary is meeting with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers to learn about Operation Cougar.

A GMP spokesman described Cougar as “a ground-breaking operation that has had a significant effect on gun and gang crime in Greater Manchester”.

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