No. 45 Simon Davies and Gus Hosein, academics and privacy advocates

Last year's position: Davies - 50; Hosein - Not placed

Simon Davies and Gus Hosein are on the Agenda Setters list this year by virtue of their work on the London School of Economics' Identity Project, the wide-ranging report into the cost and viability of a national ID card scheme that has ruffled the Home Secretary's feathers and still threatens to force the government into a major retreat over the controversial plan.

Their work exposing the technological failings and true cost of the proposed scheme has also fuelled a massive public and political backlash against ID cards.

With time running out before a final vote by MPs on the plans later this year, Davies and Hosein have a crucial role to play in whether the Identity Cards Bill ever gets passed into law. And, whatever the outcome, Davies and Hosein will continue to fight for the protection of civil liberties through their ongoing work with Privacy International.