I’ve always resented being asked to show my passport when checking in at a European hotel. They don’t do it in America; Americans have freedom, and the state exerts less control over you. In the Austrian Alps, my hotelier friend is required, by the local police, to obtain passport information. I’ve known him for almost 30 years, and he has no concerns about me, my family, or my friends. Still, he carefully records our passport numbers on arrival just because he has to. The same law applies in most other continental countries. You’re required to register your presence.

Inevitably, whenever I’ve arrived tired and weary in my pal’s ancient hotel, I’m reminded of the German occupation. No papers, no stay. The hotel was used by the Nazis during WW2 and local people got used to living in fear of authority. ID cards were introduced over here, too, but Churchill abolished them in 1952.

There was no mention of ID cards in Labour’s manifesto; they’re supposed to be an alternative to smashing the gangs? We’re supposed to believe it’s all part of Labour’s master plan. In the years ahead, ministers will list three things that they’ve done to prevent migration – because all politicians believe in the power of three. ‘Strong and stable.’ ‘Get Brexit done.’ ‘Take back control.’ At least Trump added a fourth word to his meaningless MAGA slogan.

Can you imagine a young man on the beaches of Calais, one leg in the dinghy, mobile held high, hoping straight back out again when he hears about Keir’s terrifying ID cards? “Give up; there’s no point in going now, lads. They’re gonna demand an ID card and we won’t be able to produce one.”

The law already forces UK employers to check our right to work. The kind of people who run cash-in-hand black economy businesses cheerfully ignore those rules. When was the last time you heard of anyone being fined for that? There’s no way the behaviour of unscrupulous backstreet bosses will change just because ID cards are introduced.

Less than a fortnight ago, at the launch, the government said they’d only be used to prove your right to work. Then at the conference, Shabana Mahmood floated the idea of extending their use. Has Tony Blair even told them what the plan is yet? Twitter says the TB Foundation received over £250 million from Larry Ellison, a digital ID pioneer. Blair hasn’t denied lobbying the government on his behalf. And you thought Baroness Mone was an embarrassment for the Tories!

One of our great freedoms is our right to do as we please, go wherever we want, and live wherever we want. Unless you’re a council taxpayer, you’re under no obligation to register with the local authority. If I get stopped by the police, they can demand that you identify yourself. If you choose to drive, you waive that right only because the state needs to know you are entitled to drive and where to find you if you commit offences. Should you choose not to drive or travel internationally, you don’t need any ‘papers’ at all.

We all know that when governments introduce new schemes, it doesn’t take them long to extend them or demand more money from us. This always applies to taxes, doesn’t it, where the only way is up? London’s congestion charge was only a fiver when introduced, but it’s about to be £18 a day, much more noticeable. Worse still, cash-hungry councils around the country all wanted a piece of the action. We pay congestion charges in cities nationwide now.

For the record, if they’re introduced, I’m not carrying papers; I simply refuse to.