ID cards spread across North West

The controversial identity card scheme is to continue its march across the UK next year, rolling out across the North West from January.

While the cards have been doled out to so-called foreign nationals since the end of last year, they only started being given out to British nationals living and working in Manchester from last month.

From 4 January, the cards will be given out to those living in working in Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria, who request them instead of or alongside a passport.

Meg Hillier, the Home Office minister in charge of the identity cards rollout, said in a statement: "We have always said that after the initial rollout to residents of Greater Manchester, we would seek to expand the scheme across the North West as soon as possible."

"Today's exciting announcement is the next stage in offering voluntary identity cards to everyone living in the UK," she added.

The news follows a motion passed by Liverpool council registering their protest against the card scheme, and saying no promotional materials would be allowed in their offices.