Leeds No to ID Cards ?

In another very welcome example of a new broom sweeping clean , next Wednesday Leeds City Council will debate a motion opposing the illiberal and impractical National ID card scheme. I'm delighted to say that the motion will be proposed by the new Liberal Democrat Group Leader on the Council , Cllr Richard Brett ( Burmantofts and Richmond Hill ). In a bizarre final act of the Ancien Regime our out going Group Leader Cllr Mark Harris launched a public attack on Nick Clegg MP for saying he would rather go to jail than have an ID card. The Job of politicians is to work within the laws as set apparently even if they fundamentally oppose them. Thankfully the sufferagettes and the Chartists took a different view.

Is debating national policy in Council Meetings " Gesture Politics" ? Yes but only in the same way that an AIDS ribbon or signing a petition is gesture politics. Progressive change is often generational and about winning arguments in advance of legislation or in this case blocking legislation. While I'm not pretending that the Labour Government will be shaking in its boots about a Leeds City Council resolution, hopefully Britains third biggest Council making a statemnt will be another small piece of moral authority. If we win the vote.

And why am I so against ID cards? Well after Wednesday I will tell you what I said in my speech.