WRITTEN ON March 5th, 2008 BY William Heath AND STORED IN Foundation of Trust, Identity, What do we want?

Just got a message from the Pea-Moss (who often has an uncanny insight into the inner thoughts of the tribe). He said

that Cabinet met for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes this morning. The main items of discussion were; where we were on ID cards ahead of Jacqui Smith’s speech on Thursday and a presentation from Ruth Kelly on roads and congestions, outlining some of the main themes of her speech this morning.

What is a Cabinet discussion on identity like? Do they interrupt each other like Johannes Humphrissimus Maximus Interromptor? Do they listen to each other? Is there any reflective silence? Do they seek to be guided by divine will, by “what technology wants” or some global view informed by Mori of what is best for the country? Or is everything couched in terms of how the Opposition will attack them and how it will look in the Murdoch press?

Does the dimension of the online world feature in their perceptions of ID? Did Cameron’s laws get an airing?

Questions, questions, Anyway, it seems the Minister called Jacqui Smith will answer them tomorrow. I understand she’s making a speech at a think tank tomorrow morning. Perhaps she’ll speak in da House tomorrow also. It still feels like a long haul before we’re out of the woods on this one, and before the “absolut geschütztes Kernbereich unserer privater Lebensgestaltung” is out of danger.

The Pea-Moss also said [asked where the Government was in regards to ID Cards]

that it was best to wait for Jacqui Smith’s speech on Thursday which would set out the latest state of play. Asked for more information on the ID Cards discussion at Cabinet this morning, the PMS said that Jacqui Smith would set out the position on Thursday and it was best to wait for that. Asked if the position on ID Cards was somewhat different to the current one, the PMS said it was important for people not to get too far ahead of themselves; what Jacqui Smith would be doing on Thursday was providing a bit more detail on the implementation.

OK: we’ll wait in hope, and we won’t get too far ahead of ourselves. If all they’re talking about is implementing the existing plan-as-described we shall remain calm and constructive. We may have to let the Germans sort this out first, then copy what they did in 20 years’ time.