Recent official documents suggest that the UK government's unpopular Identity Card scheme will not come into effect until 2012, two years later than planned. That, of course, is comfortably beyond the date when the next election has to be called. And the way the economy is going, Gordon Brown is going to need all the time he's allowed before he goes to the voters.

It reminds me of a line from George Eliot:

"An election is coming. Universal peace is declared, and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry."