I just received the following e-mail from a former colleague:

Hi Alec,

Do you remember a (grim, late 70s) BBC SF series, called 1990? Not easy to google with a title like that, but try:

http://www.eofftv.com/numbers/1/1990_main.htm

and read the SUMMARY.

Yes, it looks like Blair, Blunkett & Clark (BB+C) forgot about rationing.

Other than that, I’d say Wilfred Greatorex was only 15 years out with an otherwise spot-on prediction.

Ray

…where the summary cited is as follows:

In 1990, Great Britain is ruled over by the Home Office Public Control Department [PCD], a sinister governmental department that has abolished individual rights and introduced ID cards for all citizens, rationing and sophisticated electronic surveillance. A group of rebel dissidents do their best to help those who want to escape the PCD’s tyranny flee the country – one of those dissidents is journalist Jim Kyle, whose activities are being closely monitored by PCD’s head man, Herbert Skardon…

An excellent take on the Orwellian near future dystopia featuring a worryingly plausible scenario and solid acting from a strong ensemble cast.

In light of what happened on Tuesday – click the link for the picture of Smiling Charles Clarke if for no other reason – this is particularly poignant.

I’m having a clear-out at home and last night came across a really old issue of WiReD which had a long article rebuffing ID Cards, written by Simon Davies.

Funny how he’s still at it: [www.privacyinternational.org]