Curious about why this policy exists. If a legal alien enters the UK they will have passport, visa, work permit etc in which case why do they need an additional ID card? If an illegal alien enters the UK they have _exactly_ the same amount of official identification as a native, ie none.

So what problem do these ID cards solve?

It occurs to me that the real problem may lie within government where the current systems for managing immigration/emigration are so broken that only a new system and department can possibly solve the problem.

... does this combat illegal immigrants?

Most employers who are using illegal workers know perfectly well they're doing so. At best they're paying cash-in-hand to someone who is legal, and he's then 'subcontracting' the casual work to his 4th cousin 12 times removed. At worst employers are using no-names, no-packdrill workers on a daily basis.

Even if you gave cards to every single legal non-EU worker, this would go on. The police have no resources to tag every odd-jobbing worker in the whole country.

I've worked for 6 years at a job I loathe in order to become a permanent resident (where the goalposts shifted from 4 to 5 years before qualifying) - and I'll be eligible to apply for citizenship in February.

My one wish is that I will be able to vote this corrupt, illiberal, wicked Labour government from office and ensure they never come close to government again.

Frankly, I have no idea how someone could really come here and work without getting picked up sooner or later. Oh, right - extreme governmental incompetence. The people at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted always make me feel extremely welcome, whilst also making sure I am who I claim to be. Surely, the government is making a mockery of the good work these people do?

Speaking as a resident foreigner with only a Home Office visa which is examined on every ingress to the UK and a UK photo driving licence to my name, this country will *indeed* be *safer place to live* for all concerned. I'm so contrite, humbled and quite frankly, shit scared, that I have dismantled my bomb factory. A victory for commonsense!

God bless you, Mr Johnson!

I'm amazed you don't seem to realise that if New Labour doesn't get this somehow embedded to the point of removal being costly there won't be any cushy jobs to go to in industry.

No partnerships at consulting firms further milking the Treasury after passing this idea as "feasible" (yeah, as if they would say no to getting more work), no non-executive directorships at the suppliers of the machinery and materials for this nonsense, no advisory positions at strategy shops and no opportunities at the public speaking circuit to try and flog it to other countries.

All of that nose dives if New Labour doesn't raise this dead horse, so expect a lot more panic moves over the next few months as the UK moves slowly towards the oh-so-needed elections.

Excuse my sarcasm, but I saw this one coming a mile off.

One of the few "perks" of being here as a Commonwealth immigrant rather than any other non-white, oops I mean "non-EU" immigrant is that you can vote in UK elections. (Let's see for how long!).

I suggest all commonwealth immigrants vote against Labour and secondly make it clear to their local Labour candidate and anyone else willing to listen that the imposition of ID cards is the main/only reason (as applicable) they have lost a vote.

This would also dispel the often touted myth that Labour supposedly has an open-door policy on immigration and that this is in order to create a client-voter base. Non-EU Immigrants and those from Commonwealth countries in particular, have nothing to thank Labour for.

"Oh good grief, tell me Johnson isn't another one of these NuLabour NuNanny idiots trying to micromanage the tiniest aspects of everyones lives."

Haven' checked his voting record, have you?

I'm one of those who'll have to get one of these cards, simply because i'm not a citizen. except, since I moved here (having paid the UK govt handsomely for the priviledge of procuring a visa in the first place!) I've done nothing except pay top rate tax and NI and council tax and VAT and... but now, I have another tax to pay - because that's what this is. it's no longer an ID card scheme, it's an easy opportunity to try and raise funds from a group who, let's face it, the daily mail and the murdoch press will *never* campagin on behalf of