Tories warn firms they will abandon id cards

"I wanted to make it clear that we will take an extremely sceptical view of any future contractual arrangements on ID cards that appear to have been put in place simply to tie the hands of a future Government." In a letter to executives from the contract...

"I wanted to make it clear that we will take an extremely sceptical view of any future contractual arrangements on ID cards that appear to have been put in place simply to tie the hands of a future Government." In a letter to executives from the contracting houses, Mr Grayling wrote: "I urge you to consider very carefully your future involvement in the ID Card project." Chris Grayling, the dark house secretary, has written to 5 firms working on id cards to warn them that a Conservative authorities would cancel the project and end existing contracts. The cards are already being given to foreign subjects and will be extended to people living in manchester later this year. Mr Grayling said he would be "delighted" if his warning put former companies off seeking id card contracts. Shadow home secretary writs to companies contracted to develop id cards saying Conservative would cancel scheme. He said: "We intend to scrap the ID card project as one of our first acts if we are successful at the election. But on Tuesday Mr johnson said the task which was remained "on progress". Ministers receive said chiping the cards would cost 40 pounds 1,000,000. "It is normal and fully within Government guidelines to include break clauses in contracts of this kind," said a spokesman. The tories are uping the ante on identity cards amid growing doubts complete Labour's own purpose to fit ahead with the multibillion pound scheme. Uncertainty over the political future of id cards has already led some major firms to walk away gone from potential contracts, and the tories are hoping to carry earlies to abandon the project too. A family post spokesman said: "It is normal and fully within Government guidelines to include break clauses in contracts of this kind. The house station confirmed that penalty clauses are in place. Accenture and IBM, major IT companies, last year said they would not bid for id card work. Despite the political tension, some parties remain keen to be involved. The Conservatives take formally warned companies working to construct the governing's id poster system that their contracts will be torn up if Labour loses the next election. Overall, the family power has allocated 4.70 pounds 1,000,000,000 for contracts linking to id cards and a new generation of biometric passports over 10 years. Many Labour mps think Gordon Brown could abandon the project later this year. Alan johnson, the young home plate secretary, has said he will stick to Labour's manifesto commitment to enter a card system during this parliament, but has made clear there will be no commons vote on making the cards mandatory this side of a general election. Criticism of the task continues, with many senior figures from law enforcement, security and the police questioning its value. Lord Steyn, a previous police lord, earlier this week said that the scheme is "unnecessary", un-British and should be scrapped.