Blair misses crucial vote in Commons

Tony Blair will miss a crucial vote in parliament today after his plane was delayed in South Africa. The British prime minister is hoping to secure support for the government’s national ID card scheme as he faces a week of potentially devastating Commons defeats. A number of concessions have been offered in a bid to persuade MPs to back the proposals but the votes are likely to be close.

Critics have denounced the card’s cost and the potential threat it would pose to civil liberties. On Wednesday, the stakes will be even higher when debate switches to controversial proposals to outlaw the “glorification” of terrorism.

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