Politics

The Register's coverage of the UK ID card debacle has been some of the most consistently insightful, methodical and interesting coverage of political shenanigans since Yes, Minister. The article posted today on the Home Office's new spin - a card will cost £30, and the public is in support of the scheme - is no exception. The dismantling of the opinion poll is every bit as brilliant as Humphrey Appleby's bravado explanation to Jim Hacker of how to frame absolutely any opinion poll question in order to get the reply you want. "Here, we take a 'base case concept' as being a non-negotiable bottom line.* Amusingly, the researchers tell us that the 75 per cent "demand" produced by this 'base case concept' "holds up well compared to today's 77 per cent of passport penetration." So when (not if, when) the price of a passport goes up from £42 to £93, almost all people who currently have passports will still feel they need passports." Read it today - even if you have no interest in the U.K., or ID cards. You will be educated.