As predicted by El Reg here the Government looks set to ditch its unpopular ID card legislation if Tony Blair calls an election today.

Blair is widely expected to ask the Queen to dissolve Parliament today - the trigger for a General Election on 5 May. But this means he must sacrifice several Bills currently before the House. To have any chance of getting through before the election, legislation needs cross party support.

Lord Strathclyde, Tory leader in the Lords, made clear to yesterday's Today programme that his party would not co-operate with ID card legislation in its current form.

Other Bills likely to get left on shelf are those outlawing religious hatred, the Drugs bill banning the sale of magic mushrooms and the Gambling bill which would legalise super-casinos.®

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