Put a frog into a pan of cold water, turn up the heat and it happily poaches to death. Should the Government wish it, it could initiate the sharing of information tomorrow. Identity cards are not needed for that purpose.I look forward to the day when I can trade in my driving licence, National Insurance card and NHS card for one (hopefully) more durable card although I have to confess that I haven't seen the latter two for some considerable time.ROGER CHAPMAN Keighley, West YorkshireSir: The Cabinet decision to begin the preparatory work for ID cards but claiming not to have made a decision is nothing but a sham (report, 7 November) It is akin to the old recipe for making frog soup. That is merely one of the many red herrings that those who would not have identity cards at any price propagate in order to make such a scheme appear more unattractive.It doesn't appear to have even crossed his mind that every motorist in the land is already subject to the supposedly draconian regime he rails against or that most of us have at least one other national identity card (NHS) already as well as separate identities known only to the Department of Work and Pensions and the Inland Revenue.The argument that identity cards will result in all manner of information being shared between different departments is absurd. If people can ensure that all of the above cannot happen then there is nothing to fear from any identity cards.W RACHFAL London SW17Sir: Philip Hensher is wrong to imply that any identity card scheme would require us to carry the card at all times. This type of emotional scaremongering is not helpful particularly in articles in which the arguments are solely based on "We are told that..." and "the real reason most certainly is...".I have lived for long periods in continental Europe and fail to recognise in practice any of the misgivings put forward by opponents to the introduction of ID cards and, indeed, have often found myself very envious of the positive advantages shared by our neighbours.MICHAEL Du PRE MaidenheadSir: At present it may be right to fear identity cards not for their own sake but for their possible use by a government with a history of imprisonment without trial, of justifying Guantanamo Bay, of taking the country into an illegal war, of trying to force through a ban on fox hunting and who knows what else. He revealed to me his totally negative perspective of a Britain run solely by "agents of the state" (ie ubiquitous aggressive policemen and obnoxious car park attendants) and his sentimental Edwardian era view that "Britons never can be free" were we to attempt to put contemporary technology to some positive use.

In the House of Commons the opposition is in front you, the enemy is behind you. Never more true than in today's Parliamentary Conservative Party.ALAN CARCAS Liversedge, West YorkshireSir: I am saddened by Michael Portillo's decision to resign as an MP at the next election. Ridiculed at the 1997 election he is the only Tory MP who has since emerged as a caring politician and genuine moderniser and I admire him for that. Mr Howard has an awful long way to go to convince that he can do the same.SIMON MAURICE Hove Britons will still be free with ID cards Sir: As someone who has always wondered why there is such antipathy, rather than cautious but positive support, towards the introduction of identity cards, I was fully enlightened by Philip Hensher's article ("Britons never can be free if we have identity cards", 7 November).

Who needs enemies when they've got friends like that?His friends are said to be surprised and disappointed at his decision. Not half as upset as the rest of us who have had to weather the niggling and back-biting generated by those MPs, who must be looking a little stupid now for backing such a weak-kneed individual who has caused upset out of all proportion to his ability and importance. They should all be ashamed of what they have done to the Conservative party.For Michael Howard, what a slap in the face within hours of becoming leader of a "united" party He should remember Churchill's dictum. With friends like Michael Portillo, who needs enemies? With friends like Michael Portillo, who needs enemies? Sir: Having caused the maximum amount of mayhem over the past five years under three successive Conservative party leaders, at the very least by not reining in the more frenetic of his supporters, the so-called Portillistas, as soon as he is offered the opportunity to to a job for the party, Michael Portillo bales out (report, 8 November). He obviously hadn't been out and about in the autumn, when you can lunch royally on wild fruit and nuts, washed down with a swig of rainwater, and it's all free and gratis!WARNING: If you should experience griping pains or indigestion after your free hedgerow lunch, don't say we didn't warn you, because it's all part of the Autumn Experience, sure as God made little green apples and grinding stomach-ache!Would you like to know more about the Autumn Experience? Just send a stamped addressed envelope and cross my palm with silver.. More from Miles Kington.