“In 1952 Winston Churchill scrapped ID-cards as a result of growing concerns over civil liberties and police abuses of power. Some may say he had his faults, but at least he managed defended our civil liberties and way of life from fascists and the tools such as ID-cards that fascists use.

“A sense of national identity can sometimes create divisions and divides between people, but at other times it can help us remember our shared collective values. ID-cards and a bureaucracy system of computer databases are simply un-British.

“It is therefore time for us to take a stand against the Blair’s creeping surveillance state.

“You cannot defend democracy and civil liberties against extremism through creating a society in which we are all suspects. That is the path to totalitarianism in the name of freedom.

“As Benjamin Frankin famously said: ‘Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both’.”

The national day of action is timed for Monday March 26 because this is when the first government interrogation centres open, where people will be forced to attend to be interviewed and fingerprinted. Across the country people opposed to the identity cards scheme will be coming together to celebrate our civil liberties and demonstrate against the government’s plans.

Urged the spokesman: “Let our politicians know that they must listen to the views of the people they are meant to represent! Bring a drum, bring a whistle, some music and some friends.”