| Last night West Berkshire Council formally backed a motion, proposed by the Liberal Democrats on West Berkshire Council, to not co-operate with the Governments ID card scheme. The motion also called on the Council to affiliate to the national campaign www.no2id.net and join the growing number of Councils affiliated to the campaign against the Government’s ID card scheme.
The motion, proposed by the Leader of the Opposition Cllr Jeff Brooks (Lib Dem, Thatcham West), noted the comments from the Home Secretary on the recent bombings in London when Charles Clarke MP said "I doubt it would have made a difference".
Cllr Jeff Brooks, Leader of the Opposition said:
“I welcome the fact that all Lib Dem Councillors and all but one Conservative backed this motion proposed by the Liberal Democrats. I am delighted most Conservative Councillors saw sense and backed the motion despite their MP’s voting for Labours’ ID card scheme in the last Parliament.
“I was disappointed that a group of Conservative Councillors attempted to delete reference to the call for the financial savings from scrapping the ID card scheme to be spent on more police. Fortunately common sense prevailed on this and West Berkshire Council will call on the government to spend the savings on more police, both nationally and in West Berkshire.”
Cllr Denise Gaines, Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Executive Member for Finance, who seconded the motion added:
“Here in West Berkshire we know that the planned card implies additional cost to the Council and therefore local people through Council Tax, in ensuring compatibility of Council operations with the Government. The Government record, under Conservative and Labour, has been abysmal at fully funding such schemes. Now this motion has been passed the pressure will build on Labour to scrap this costly ID card scheme.” | 
