Lord Steyn will say the controversial scheme is “unnecessary”, un-British and should be scrapped.<\/p>\n
It comes as a senior Tory attacks the Government for not safeguarding our right to privacy and demand a reversal of the growth of the “Big Brother” surveillance state.<\/p>\n
Baroness Neville-Jones, the shadow security minister, will pledge the Tories will restore the public’s right to privacy over personal information.<\/p>\n
Lord Steyn will accuse the Home Office of introducing the cards step by step as a way of “conditioning” and “softening up” public opinion. <\/p>\n
The cards, already in use for foreign nationals coming to Britain, will be available to anyone living in Manchester from later this year as part of a national roll out.<\/p>\n
Ministers say the scheme will help fight terrorism, crime and illegal immigration and help people easily prove their identity. <\/p>\n
Delivering the Lord Williams of Mostyn memorial lecture this evening, Lord Steyn will say there is “absolutely no evidence” they would protect the country against terrorism. <\/p>\n
Their introduction was an unjustified “invasion” of civil liberties, the former judge will say.<\/p>\n
He will add: “The commitment, by and large, of the British people to European constitutional principles and ideals does not require us to adopt an ID card system. <\/p>\n
“In my view a national identity card system is not necessary in our country. No further money should be spent on it. The idea should be abandoned.” <\/p>\n
“The Home Office now proudly asserts that comprehensive surveillance has become routine. <\/p>\n
“If that is true, the resemblance to the world of Kafka is no longer so very distant.” <\/p>\n
Alan Johnson, the new Home Secretary, is said to have launched a review of the entire \u00a35 billion scheme amid concerns over civil liberties. <\/p>\n
In a separate speech, to the Information Assurance for the Public Sector Conference in London, Baroness Neville-Jones will say: “The individual is the rightful owner of personal information and the state is merely possessor and should behave as a responsible custodian. We need to roll back the advance of Big Brother and restore this fundamental right of our citizens. <\/p>\n
“Restoring privacy today must mean a clear statement on the part of those who have custody of personal information of their purpose in retaining it and of their commitment to its proper management. This will involve a review of most of the Government’s centralised databases.”<\/p>\n