"I know historically UK has not had ID cards and for some reason has seen them as oppressive (that 'papers, citizen! thing'), [...]"
The UK had identity cards in WW2 - and they had to be produced on demand within 48 hours.
In 1951 there was a pivotal case when a motorist refused to show his ID card to a policeman who had demanded it. The post-war atmosphere was primed for public discontent about "papers please" powers - and ID cards were then abolished.
"Let us have the credit for 'setting the people free'," wrote one [Tory] Treasury minister in 1952, [...]
Biting the hand that feeds IT
