"The money that will be squandered on this scheme would be far better spent on investment in health and education, or solving the pensions crisis"
They also argue
"Our black members have expressed serious concerns that the primary purpose of ID cards will be to single out ethnic minority groups for unfair treatment. Experience abroad shows that black people will have to produce their cards more often.
"Our members working in frontline services will be expected to act as unofficial immigration police. And to add insult to injury, the technology is less effective for black people, with a false refusal rate of one in five for iris scans (the most "reliable" biometric)."
It is excellent that leading trade unionists have supported this essential campaign in defence of civil liberties.
But writing letters to the press will certainly not be enough, especially in the wake of the London bombings. Socialists and trade unionists need to make this issue, along with more general defence of our rights to protest and organise a cornerstone of our organising over the months ahead.