As most will be aware representatives of the present government have frequently presented the line that ID cards are necessary and that only those with something to hide have any reason to fear them.

(The ID card roll-out would appear to be a global rather than a national initiative and they are remarkably similar to the livret introduced by the July Monarchy in 1830s France.)
 http://books.google.es/books?id=c6sOAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA135&dq=july+monarchy+workers+livret

In a recent comment piece for the Guardian, Alan Johnson appears to have relinquished this argument somewhat arguing that they are an essential tool in the fight against identity theft related fraud.

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/jul/02/identity-cards-fraud-cost

Either way the Government is demanding that British residents become willing to reveal as much information about themselves as possible. Of course this transparency extends beyond the ID card regime such as the new questions that airline passengers must answer when they go on holiday.

The strange thing is that when it comes to Hedge Funds and Private Equity firms the government is more than happy to agree to their demands for anonymity and the right to be left in peace. As the EU is attempting to introduce more onerous requirements on these businesses, the UK government has taken up their cause.

"The EU directive, a response to public anger at the excessive risk-taking that led to the credit crisis, would require many hedge funds and private equity firms to register with regulators and disclose more about themselves and their investments.
They would also have to meet increased minimum capital requirements and limits on borrowing, which have triggered threats from some big UK hedge funds to move overseas unless the plan is rewritten.
Lord Myners, speaking to the Alternative Investment Management Association, pledged to fight the proposed legislation".
 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d256c7fc-6afe-11de-861d-00144feabdc0.html

 https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/06/432834.html

So whilst ordinary people are to be subjected to more and more restrictions and control orders to prevent terrorism, London´s financial terrorists are to be given free rein to continue creating mayhem. Since I myself advocate the smashing of hedge funds and private equity, I am not a supporter of regulating them.

Rather, i prefer to draw people´s attention to the divide between the rights of ordinary people to privacy and anonymity and the rights of these entities as proposed by the government.