So ID Cards are back on the agenda again now and actually threaten to be more confusing a policy than the ratification of the EU treaty. The time scales are slipping further and further, ambiguity is rife over the compulsion that may exist, and the politicians are still woefully clueless about the lack of integrity the system will inherently have.

Jacqui Smith was on the Today program on Radio 4 today and detailed where we supposedly stand, in that she set out a time table for ensuring foreign nationals, airport workers and then students have ID cards. Talking specifically about compulsion she continues the ambiguity about whether or not it would happen in such a manner not specifically stating whether or not it will be done and agreeing that it won't be for at least another 3 or 4 years before the question can be asked, and at least 19 years before it can be implemented.

On the charge of "fighting terrorism" with ID cards being ineffective, she says that false identities are the way terrorists operate and that ID cards fight that. Ignoring completely how easily personal data can be stolen even with biometric data, let alone through hacking or data misplacement, she is looking like more and more of a fool every day. Jacqui Smith's response to the charges of database security? That these databases won't be able to be "hacked." Hillarious stuff if it weren't so terrifying, and on the anniversary that news broke of someone "hacking" new biometric passports.

She also talks specifically about the issue of students and how she is going to coerce them to take up ID cards. Dropping the rhetoric of a month or so past where a leaked document showed people would require an ID card to open up a bank account or student loan, effectively blackmailing people, mostly young people, now she talks about the situation as if the government is somehow doing us a favour.

"Don't take that wodge of documents to the bank, take the ID card it's so much simpler!" If only that were necessarily the case, or indeed the governments right to impose on my wishes. Why exactly should it be impossible for me to take my wodge of documents to the bank rather than an ID card? At least with those documents if I have a problem with one of them I've got more to sort out the problem there and then, unlike if there is a problem with my ID card.

And as usual, as with the issues with tackling terrorism, she completely makes an arse out of herself when it comes to protecting your identity. Does she really believe that someone that is desperate for a false identity couldn't take my name, address, date of birth and any other information, get a false passport or driving license and then use those false details to obtain an ID card in my name? All I know is that my fingerprint is left everywhere I go and as such is available for anyone to copy as they see fit to hijack my identity, and once they have my identity it is going to be a lot harder under this new system to convince anyone of my innocence should something bad happen.

It's time for Jacqui Smith and this government to get their heads out of their arses, they've been shown to be incompetent with our data, that they are willing to blackmail people in to getting ID cards before they are truly compulsory, and now show ever more increasing ignorance on a subject that you simply cannot make a mistake on.