Blunkett: Loyalty cards bigger threat than ID cards

Home Secretary David Blunkett claimed store loyalty cards present a bigger threat to privacy than the government's ID card scheme and told opponents of the controversial project to "get real" about 'Big Brother' surveillance accusations.

Speaking at an Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) ID card conference in London today, Blunkett insisted that ID cards will combat terrorism, illegal working and organised crime. And despite concerns from opponents about the cost of the scheme, Blunkett said it will pay for itself in many ways.

"Hundreds of millions of pounds a year are drawn down [on the NHS] by people who don't have the right to. Anyone who is accessing care should be able to prove their identity," he said.

Blunkett argued that ID cards will prevent terrorists using multiple identities and get rid of the UK's "sweatshop sub-economy" by tackling the problem of illegal immigration and illegal employment.

But his strongest criticism was aimed at those who oppose ID cards on privacy grounds.

"There is a suspicion that if government is doing it there must be something wrong. But if the private sector is doing it with loyalty cards it is OK," he said.

Holding up a Nectar card, Blunkett claimed store loyalty cards are much more intrusive and leave a more detailed data trail than government ID cards ever would.

"Store loyalty cards keep continuously updated details such as the size of a person's household, whether they're employed or not and the ages of their children, besides what they like to eat, where and how often they shop and even what brand of toothpaste they use."

However, speaking to journalists after his presentation, Blunkett admitted that these firms operate the loyalty cards within the UK data protection laws and said he wasn't personally worried about any of the information held on him.

Blunkett also acknowledged the scale of the project and said that if it does go wrong he will go down in history as "one of the biggest political failures Britain has ever produced".