STUDENTS in Southampton have been urged to vote Liberal Democrat to fight Government plans to make them guinea pigs for indentity cards.

Party president Simon Hughes joined Romsey MP Sandra Gidley and local councillors to canvass support at the University of Southampton.

The Government plans to first issue identity cards to non-EU immigrants then roll them out to students. Lib Dems oppose them on civil liberty, cost and effectiveness grounds.

Mr Hughes said: "Students, they reckon, maybe a bit of a soft touch because students often need to produce identity.

"They might be tempted to think it's a good idea and allow the Government to get lots of names on its database."

Lib Dems on the city council have already sided with Tories and pledged to refuse to co-operate with the Government over ID cards.

Yet Mr Hughes said he was comfortable with Lib Dem sharing power locally with Labour..

"The party nationally doesn't dictate.

"What we say to our colleagues is to find the best way of getting the maximum number of Liberal Democrat policies implemented and to keep council tax down."

Mr Hughes earlier threw his support behind a campaign to see rent for Winchester's council houses remain in the city with a visit Kings Worthy More than a third is taken by the government reducing funds for improvements.

He later visited the Southampton Children's Play Association in Swaythling which had been saved from Tory cuts in a Lab Lib budget coup.

It provides free out of school and holiday play activities for children aged five to 12 years.