DIANA Wallis MEP demands a referendum on ID cards (Letters, November 22). The idea of referendums is typically selective of politicians.

Along with 50 per cent of the population (and to date nine major councils, including York), I am totally opposed to ID cards and, more importantly, against the insidious national identity register (NIR).

More and more people realise the potential huge cost of the register and the great risk it poses of unnecessary manipulation of us all and intrusion into our lives by politicians and corrupt individuals.

I believe the people will see the implied malice and reject ID cards and the NIR.

If we were to have referendums, how about one which asked whether there should be the 732 MEPs who award themselves salaries of £100,000 (the British ones get £58,000), plus allowances of £180 each day, plus £1,000 monthly subsidies to their pensions, plus £10,000 tax free annual travel allowances).

I am in favour of a free trade Europe that helps the poorer nations yet can see no point in the European Parliament and its self indulgent and spoilt MEPs.

Why do we need them when we have our own legislature which could easily communicate effectively through video and internet links with the other European nations?

MEPs simply duplicate the legislative procedure especially when our own Parliamentary MPs spend half the year on holiday away from the museum that is Westminster.

T Scaife,

Manor Drive North,

York.

Updated: 09:07 Monday, November 28, 2005