By Marina Kim

The controversial identity cards scheme and national identity register is set to be cancelled.

A statement on the Home Office website says both parties in government promised scrapping the schemes in their manifestos.

It adds: “We will announce in due course how this will be achieved. Applications can continue to be made for ID cards but we would advise anyone thinking of applying to wait for further announcements.”

Isabella Sankey, director of policy at Liberty said: “Liberty has always found ID cards offensive to our privacy, purses and race relations.

“We congratulate the new coalition government on this historic commitment and look forward to early legislation scrapping ID cards for everyone in Britain, regardless of age, race or nationality.”