The reptile joins the gang...

While brushing a thoughtful tooth this morning I was mildly animated on hearing the news that, becasue identity theft costs the UK £1.7 billion a year this meant that ID cards were therefore a wonderful thing. My prowess at economics was somewhat stunted by being taught by the school football coach, but if setting up the register will cost at least £6billion (though see the Devil for an explanation of the golden rule) and ID cards will cost a further £400 million pa (which you can bloody double at least, see above) then isn't this, even on purely economic terms, a cure that's worse than the disease? Do you ever get the feeling that this Government is run by people who would have failed a remedial economics exam? And is that why they are so determined to make A levels easier, so that they might eventually pass?

UPDATE:For an economic viewpoint that is both more eloquent and more competent than this I point you to Chris Dillow's excellent post. Be warned, there are no amusing anecdotes about footballs.