The Grauniad’s leader column is inspired by Nick Clegg’s New Year message to launch an eloquent polemic against ‘a pernicious piece of plastic’. They say:

Mr Brown previously let it be known that he saw big problems with Tony Blair’s pet ID card project. But when he moved into No 10, polls showing strong support for the scheme deterred an immediate change of course. That support has now slipped thanks to concern about lost data; it will slip further as the costs become stark. After a battering few months, Mr Brown must use the new year to define his government more sharply, making plain how it differs from what went before. He should ditch ID cards – and make a virtue of the change.

Hat tip: Paul Walter

You can sign the Liberal Democrats’ petition against ID cards and the national identity database here.