Watch out Wardell!

The doyen of the "Hear All Sides" page, Christopher Wardell, had better watch out. Today I had two mentions in the Echo: a letter on ID cards and the publication of part of a press release on the budget proposals going to Cabinet next week.

Here is the text of my letter on data loss ID cards:

"Following the recent loss of CDs containing personal information on child benefit claimants, Liberal Democrat research has revealed that 37 million items of personal data went missing last year.
"Most of it was lost by Government, although councils, NHS trusts, banks and insurance companies were also responsible. This shocking record means we need a total rethink on data protection laws and an immediate end to plans for identity cards.
"Surely no one can any longer have faith in the Government's ability to handle personal data. There is simply no way that any democratic government can expect an unwilling public to accept having their personal data stored in what would be the world's largest database when they aren't confident that database will be safe.
"The Lib Dems' new leader, Nick Clegg, has already pledged to disobey any new law and refuse to sign up for an identity card - and so do I.
"Identity cards achieve nothing except to extend the Government's control over us as individuals."
Councillor Mike Barker, Parliamentary Spokesman, Darlington Liberal Democrats.

Here is a link to one of the many press reports on the Lib Dem research mentioned in my letter.