THE new MP for Finchley and Golders Green has spoken in favour of plans to scrap ID cards.

In his maiden speech in the House of Commons, Conservative MP Mike Freer added his thoughts to the identity documents bill debate last week, claiming the previous Labour Government's plans were “a solution looking for a problem”.

He began his speech though by paying tribute to his predecessor, the late Rudi Vis, whose funeral was held on Friday.

Mr Freer said: “Dr Rudi Vis was not of my party, but I do regard him as a friend of over 20 years. He served this house for 13 years before retiring a few weeks ago.

“He will be a sad loss to public service. He was a diligent pubic servant, in this house and also in the London borough of Barnet, where we both served together.”

He later praised the achievements of former Prime Minister Baroness Margaret Thatcher, who served as Finchley MP for more than 30 years, adding: “I shall be fortunate if I achieve a fraction of what she achieved through my campaigns.”

He went on to tell the house: “Finchley and Golders Green is now a vibrant metropolitan area, with one of the most diverse communities in the UK.

“I have the largest Jewish population of any constituency in the UK. However, living harmoniously alongside that very large Jewish community is a large and growing Muslim and Hindu community.

“Historically, those communities have not always seen eye to eye, yet our area enjoys beacon status for community cohesion.”

Mr Freer then backed the new coalition Government's first bill to be debated in the house, to abolish the ID card system.

He said: “Many of our faith communities oppose ID cards, albeit for different reasons.

“As a former banker, I can tell the house that I have seen first-hand how organised crime can produce counterfeit documents that not even the Government could produce through their official agencies.

“I have seen instances of identity theft and fraud that have been based on such counterfeit documentation, and that leads me to believe that no ID card would counter those crimes, as organised crime will beat the system.

“Sixty years ago, a resident of Finchley instigated the scrapping of ID cards. Today, I am pleased that this resident of Finchley will be doing his bit to scrap the latest version of ID cards.”