Tony Blair's plans for identity cards risk creating a Big Brother-style system of checks in which people are subjected to "unnecessary and disproportionate intrusion" into their privacy, the data protection watchdog has said, writes Christopher Adams.

The warning, from Richard Thomas, information commissioner, was at the centre of growing criticism about the ID cards scheme that included fears that the cost of the cards could spiral. Mr Blair rejected the attacks, saying he was confident the public backed them in principle. The prime minister's controversial ID cards bill is expected to pass its second Commons reading today, despite likely opposition from between 10 and 20 Labour MPs as well as the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.