It was only a matter of time before a member of the Government stepped outside the sensible and considered approach adopted by the polictical parties following the terror attacks on London.

This week, the hapless Geoff Hoon took such a step when he attempted to use the flight of Hussain Osman via Eurostar as an argument in support of government plans for identity cards.

Mr Hoon stated that identity cards were necessary 'because it is vitally important that we are able to say who is in the UK at any given time'.

This is not an argument for identity cards. It is an argument for proper passport control at Waterloo station, and other points of entry and exit.

But the fact that passport and immigration control have been watered down to the point where, at Waterloo at least, they are virtually non-existent is not a reason to require us all to register with the state.

The current identity card proposals would not further Mr Hoon's aim of knowing who was in the UK one jot. If Mr Hoon had read the legislation before voting for it he would know that visitors will not be required to register until they have been resident in the UK for three months.

It appears to have escaped Mr Hoon's notice that the suspected terrorists were all UK citizens who would have been able to produce a valid ID card if challenged. Even the Home Secretary concedes that identity cards would not have done anything to prevent the recent attacks.

It is hardly surprising that the Minister responsible for issuing British troops with equipment which didn't work, is now trying to issue the British people with an ID card which will be equally ineffective in protecting us.

D WOOD

Chairman of the Policy Committee

The Liberal Party