AM ‘ would go to jail’ over ID cards

A prominent Plaid Cymru AM has vowed to go prison rather than carry an ID card.

Leanne Wood said she has signed up to a civil disobedience campaign against the Government’s ID cards plan.

Ms Wood, the Welsh Assembly’s shadow social justice minister, said the cards were an “expensive Big Brother device”.

“If for some reason you get picked up by the police and you don’t have your card or you’ve lost it, you could well end up behind bars,” she said.

“We in Wales may have saved ourselves from some of the waste of money by saying that devolved services will not have to deal with ID cards.

“But the UK Government is forcing this plan through and, sooner or later, they will require people who refuse to carry ID cards to go to prison.

“I’m ready to go to prison, if the Government presses ahead with this dangerous plan.”

Ms Wood, a former probation officer, added: “I still hope the Bill will be defeated, but if not I am ready to go behind bars.

“I do not believe that I should have to identify myself as a matter of course. I am also pledging that if plans go ahead to link the ID card to people’s right to hold a passport, I will challenge it in court.”

icWales