ID cards and guilt by association

A couple of useful articles on the dangerously authoritarian tendencies of our current Home Secretary, David Blunkett:

• Now Blunkett plans to jail friends of terrorist suspects – Blunkett plans to jail people for merely associating with a suspected terrorist. In yesterday’s Observer.
• Contempt for liberty – Peter Hitchens on the danger to law-abiding citizens of Blunkett’s proposed ID card scheme. In the current Spectator (you’ll need to register; it’s free).