Reports are kicking about that the government are going to introduce a policy whereby you will need to produce a passport or identity card (natch) to purchase a pay as you go mobile phone. Bastion of civil rights, The Times make some very relevant points regarding privacy issues and uber-database by the backdoor.
This is not what bothers me. If organised crime/terror types can't get a ready supply of phones (how ever did the Krays get by?) there will be an increased market in stolen ones. Be prepared for a mugging.