Michael Howard has come under fire from the government after announcing his party will not be supporting plans to introduce identity cards.

The decision prompted anger from home secretary Charles Clarke, who branded Howard a "failing leader".

The Conservative leader said his MPs will be abstaining in Thursday's Commons vote on the controversial legislation.

He said that ministers had failed to answer the party's questions about the implementation of the Identity Cards Bill.

And the Liberal Democrats, who oppose the plans, said the Conservatives were in "an absolute shambles" on the issue.

Serious questions

Howard had previously backed the bid to introduce ID cards, though some shadow Cabinet members were reported to be unhappy with the decision.

At the second reading stage of the Bill, the Conservatives voted in favour of the proposals.

And the party insisted it still backed the scheme in principle, even though it was not voting in favour of it during third reading in the Commons.

Shadow home secretary David Davis said ministers had failed to answer "serious questions about practical issues to make this ID system work".

"They have not even answered the questions of the all party joint committee on human rights who described their failure to respond as 'deeply unsatisfactory'.

"Rather than playing politics with this issue they should make a serious effort to make it work by proper revision in the Lords.

"Regrettably, by leaving these complex proposals so late in the day they are making a difficult task even harder."

Labour anger

The Tory move prompted an angry response from the home secretary.

"I was utterly astounded at Michael Howard's opportunistic decision to order Tory MPs to abstain," said Clarke.

"It shows the Tories to be weak on crime, weak on asylum and weak on security.

"To abstain on an issue of this importance is absolutely staggering."

Clarke claimed that the Tory chief had changed his mind because "many in his own shadow Cabinet don't agree with that position"/

"I can only condemn Michael Howard as a failing leader, unable to impose his will on his shadow Cabinet," he added.

Scrutiny

If the legislation passes the Commons, as expected, the Conservative decision could leave it vulnerable to amendment in the Lords should a coalition of Lib Dem and Tory peers seek changes.

Clarke accepted that Tory opposition could cause problems for the government as it seeks to pass the legislation in the limited time available before a possible general election.

"I think they would be extremely foolish from a purely political point of view to take that course because people in the country would not understand why they had put their block on a law and order and security measure of this kind," said the home secretary.

'Shambles'

There was further criticism of Howard from Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten.

"The Tories are an absolute shambles on ID cards," he said.

"This is breathtaking opportunism. First they were for ID cards, now they are sitting on the fence.

"It is no wonder that the public don't see them as the opposition to Labour any more.

"It's time they had the courage to join with the Liberal Democrats in opposing this expensive and illiberal measure."