Upon reading Mr Snowden's letter (December 2) regarding ID cards I could not decide whether he was in favour of this proposal or being darkly sardonic and opposing the idea.

He seems to have made exactly the reasoned arguments as to why we should not go down this avenue and be so keen to throw away our rights and freedom.

ID cards, he says, can be used when shopping or making bank transactions.

How, I ask, are shops going to make positive identification unless they have access to the Government's database holding the card's information?

The idea that retailers and other inappropriate groups could access this information is wholly unacceptable.

Like most people, I carry numerous forms of identification on a daily basis without the need for an identity card.

Mr Snowden points out that all documents can be forged, at which point the hi-tech ID cards become obsolete and it will be necessary to start all over again, doubling the cost of the exercise borne by the taxpayer.

I am certain that as time goes on law-abiding citizens will find themselves being told by a machine that they do not exist; do not have the rights of above; are impostors, or all of those things.

I have no doubt the Government will gradually require more and more personal information. Half of the eligible voters of this country don't bother to vote. Perhaps we should wake them up before we sleep walk straight into yet another ambush of our rights, freedom and democracy.

Charlie Stone,

Millfield Road,

York.

Updated: 10:26 Tuesday, December 06, 2005