Dead right. As I wrote on the comment piece to the Telegraph blog, these cards are going to be used by the Government as "privilege" tokens, with access to services (private and public) patrolled by the cards. Getting on a train, drinking in a pub, shopping in a supermarket, all will require a card. Various permissions will be revoked for "inappropriate" behaviour (the Act already details how the card can be confiscated during football tournaments on the basis of suspicion only; expect many more amendments, not least to revoke alcohol purchase rights in order to "crack down on binge drinking").

This scheme will enable a complete reversal in the relationship between the citizen and the State, from one where the State serves all individuals to one where the citizen is a supplicant to the State for permission.