Liberal Democrats stage mass passport renewal

9.15.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 3rd Jun 2006

Whilst I was away a group of Liberal Democrat MPs renewed their passports en masse - in protest at the government's plans for a compulsory identity database. Now I am back from Pakistan and Japan and before I head anywhere else this is something I will be doing (as mentioned on here previously) and would encourage others to do so.

Nick Clegg MP and the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs team renewed their passports in a stunt at Westminster passport office to highlight the looming deadline for those wishing to avoid enrolling on the national identity register.

From this autumn first-time passport applicants, and later renewals, are expected to have their details enrolled on the new database. Mr Clegg told Guardian Unlimited "The purpose of this 'stunt' is to highlight the fact that if you apply now for your passport, you can escape going on the database for up to a decade. The Lib Dems are the only party opposing this scheme - the Tories were bought off with paper-thin amendments and have been flip-flopping on the issue."

Mr Clegg said that despite numerous freedom of information requests, the Home Office was reluctant to reveal when exactly the cut-off point would be when enrolment on the database becomes mandatory, but that "my best guess is the autumn". He stressed the Lib Dems had renewed their passports now to avoid creating any last-minute panic.