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Tories plan flip-flop over ID cards

Michael Howard’s Conservative Party is planning a U-turn over identity cards – but not until after the General Election. According to a senior Conservative Party MP, the plan is to support ID cards at present in order to look tough on law and order, but they will drop support on ‘practical grounds’ when public opinion edges away. Cynically, Michael Howard’s office has already drawn up plans to flip-flop in the summer.

I believe this is called ‘conviction politics’.

Samizdata quote of the day

There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle.
– Alexis de Tocqueville

Samizdata quote of the day

I said that the power of detention [without charge or trial] is at present confined to foreigners and I would not like to give the impression that all that was necessary was to extend the power to United Kingdom citizens as well. In my opinion, such a power in any form is not compatible with our constitution. The real threat to the life of the nation, in the sense of a people living in accordance with its traditional laws and political values, comes not from terrorism but from laws such as these. That is the true measure of what terrorism may achieve. It is for Parliament to decide whether to give the terrorists such a victory.

Lord Hoffman’s opinion in A(FC) and others (FC) (Appellants) v. Secretary of State for the Home Department (Respondent), also reported by the BBC.

Samizdata quote of the day

“It is outrageous, and amazing, that the first free and general elections in the history of the Arab nation are to take place in January: in Iraq, under the auspices of American occupation, and in Palestine, under the auspices of the Israeli occupation. . . .”

– Salameh Nematt
Washington bureau chief for the London-based daily Al Hayat November 25

Quoted by Bill Kristol in the Weekly Standard,

[Thanks to Instapundit for the pointer]

Samizdata quote of the day

A friendship founded on business is a good deal better than a business founded on friendship.
– John D. Rockefeller

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Do you really think that if this were a symbol for a man’s most sensitive organ, we would cut one end and set the other end on fire?
– Ray, a character from Blowing Smoke movie, talking about cigars…

A message to our American readers…

…Thanks smiley_grinning_green.gif

Samizdata quote of the day

No interrupting when I am interrupting!
– Adriana Cronin

Samizdata quote of the day

What makes dictators dictators is not that they don’t believe in the power of the majority but that they don’t believe in the rights of the individual.
– Adriana Cronin

Some time a picture is worth a thousand words…

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Samizdata quote of the day

If this bothers you, please sod off and go read Atrios or Kos
Instapundit