Stage 1 Of Brown's I D Card Plan Begins In November

[Realistbear]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7634111.stm

Page last updated at 07:14 GMT, Thursday, 25 September 2008 08:14 UK

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Foreign national ID card unveiled

ID cards for British nationals will begin to be introduced next year

The first identity cards from the government's controversial national scheme are due to be revealed.

The biometric card will be issued from November, initially to non-EU students and marriage visa holders.

The design - containing a picture and digitally-stored fingerprints - is a precursor to the proposed national identity card scheme.

Critics say the roll-out to some immigrants is a "softening up" exercise to win over a sceptical general public.

Brown will spend money on his pet project no matter what as a U-turn on a matter of civil liberties whill show that his resolve is no longer stiffening.

[PopGun]

No matter how much people hate about the Tories, if they pledge to 100% scrap the ID card scam, then this alone would be enough to clinch my vote.

Not that it matters living in a Labour constituency with a 15,000 majority. Who said democracy is dead!?

[Leonard Hatred]

[Guest Shedfish]

...quietly slipped through the net while attention distracted elsewhere...

[fluffy666]

No matter how much people hate about the Tories, if they pledge to 100% scrap the ID card scam, then this alone would be enough to clinch my vote.

Not that it matters living in a Labour constituency with a 15,000 majority. Who said democracy is dead!?

You have to remember that at the last election both labout and tories were for ID cards, so the subject has never been at issue in an election.

I'd also vote tory simply on this issue..

[Guest DissipatedYouthIsValuable]

I'm simply going to burn down any office which issues these 'yellow lapel stars'

[deflation]

Only the Lib Dems have pledged to srap ID cards. Apart from your fringe parties that is, Green, Rainbow Alliance etc

[squire]

No matter how much people hate about the Tories, if they pledge to 100% scrap the ID card scam, then this alone would be enough to clinch my vote.

Agreed! This idea is plain crazy. There's no way they should have the authority to do this. An old fashioned witch hunt is what we need! Either that or we all cut our fingertips off.

[bagsos]

I'm simply going to burn down any office which issues these 'yellow lapel stars'

There will be riots over this racist policy. In Bradford, Leicester, large parts of London and many other towns a large proportion of the population will be required to register, mainly of ethnic origin. Some minister has said that Brown will be gone by Christmas in today's Guardian - I think this will be the "poll tax moment" that will spell the end of him. Anyone else agree?

[Leonard Hatred]

Remember, ID cards are not the issue, it's the all-seeing identity database. One error in the data and you will unable to access any services. One CD "lost in the post", and you'll somehow need to get new fingerprints.

[bagsos]

Remember, ID cards are not the issue, it's the all-seeing identity database. One error in the data and you will unable to access any services. One CD "lost in the post", and you'll somehow need to get new fingerprints.

Mmmm if this is anything like the NHS database - 5 years behind schedule and hundreds of millions over budget - it will never happen even if parties of both hues want it. Civil servants and their masters have proven to be totally inept on large scale IT schemes time and again.

[dinsdale]

Remember, ID cards are not the issue, it's the all-seeing identity database.

In it's fully realised form the ID card scheme will give the State a level of surveillance and control over it's citizens completely unprecedented in world history, democracy or dictatorship. All of Labour's authoritarian fantasies that would have seemed inconceivable just 10 years ago are now becoming very real indeed. The next election really is our last chance to pull back from totalitarianism.

[Leonard Hatred]

And if there's anyone left out there who trusts government databases, look no further than America's No-Fly list, which features dozens of children under 5, numerous pilots, and - until recently - Nelson Mandela

[Guest Shedfish]

"Spreadsheet Admins More Powerful Than Putin"

[cht]

In it's fully realised form the ID card scheme will give the State a level of surveillance and control over it's citizens completely unprecedented in world history, democracy or dictatorship. All of Labour's authoritarian fantasies that would have seemed inconceivable just 10 years ago are now becoming very real indeed. The next election really is our last chance to pull back from totalitarianism.

Agree. This issue alone is enough reason to get rid of labour :angry:

[Leonard Hatred]

In fact, why don't we save time by doing this: Gordon pays me £18 billion and I go and piss on a war memorial.

[Realistbear]

BBC live now--jaqui smiff going to announce launch while smiling at the same time. NuLabour--getting on with the job....

[Realistbear]

sickening. truly sickening. Admits its only part of a wider paln to ID veryone.

1984 a bit later than most thought.

[deflation]

I still think this is over-reaction. Virtually all driving licences are the ID-type now. Passports have been around for donkeys years.

ID cards have been law in many European countries for years and they have more 'free-thinking' governments than us.

[Realistbear]

I still think this is over-reaction. Virtually all driving licences are the ID-type now. Passports have been around for donkeys years.

ID cards have been law in many European countries for years and they have more 'free-thinking' governments than us.

they say it will net the government 5billion. you need a passport with the same information and an id card. why both?

[Guest barebear]

they say it will net the government 5billion. you need a passport with the same information and an id card. why both?

SO THEY CAN CHARGE YOU TWICE

[Injin]

As inevitable as sunrise.

As inevitable as my refusing to have one, in fact.

[deflation]

SO THEY CAN CHARGE YOU TWICE

You only need a passport to leave the country, although anectdotally, I've heard ID only for Ireland, Isle of Man and Channel Islands?

Anyway, the plan is to roll out id cards to all.

I'd be more concerned if there's a mag strip on the back with loads of personal data on it which can be read if lost or stolen. Policing fraud and counterfeit cards will cost a lot. Possibly offset by the reductions in tax evasion by illegal working? Doubt it.

Edited to add: Although I'm in favour in principle, I will also refuse to get one unless its free. Should be issued at 16 years old in future along with NI number, and slow time to those who need one (public services, dangerous jobs, etc.) Losing it will cost you of course.

Edited September 25, 2008 by Stourbridge Baggie

[DementedTuna]

I'll go down fighting before they get my fingerprints or DNA.

[Injin]

I'll go down fighting before they get my fingerprints or DNA.

And they will fight you and beat you and take samples from you by force.

This is what they are, this is what they do.