Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has confirmed that the first people in the UK to be forced to “volunteer” for ID Cards and the National Identity Register (NIR) will be airport workers.

In a change from earlier plans the compulsion will apply initially to workers at only two airports, Manchester and London City, for an 18 month trial before national rollout. This backtracking appears to be a result of opposition to the scheme from both the airport workers’ union Unite and the airline industry which described the plans as “unjustified”. Airside workers are already vetted and subject to stringent security checks.

In an apparent appempt to buy off the opposition the Home Office is expected to provide financial support during the trial period.

Phil Booth of ID Card opponents NO2ID said:

“The unions and the industry are opposed. An expert just described the security justification as absolute bunkum. Dropping to trials at a couple of airports is a transparent attempt to save ministerial face. Dropping the entire scheme, by comparison, would save only privacy, liberty, public money and long-term national embarrassment.’”

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