Identity Cards are on the way — voluntary at first, but eventually the government wants them to be compulsory for everyone aged over 16.
The government’s plan is for the cards to gradually become part of everyday life, issued alongside passports and used to prove entitlement to public services like free healthcare.
There has been speculation recently that Prime Minister Gordon Brown is cooling over making the cards compulsory, which would require parliament to pass new legislation.
Recently leaked documents have led to suggestions the programme is running way behind schedule.
Civil liberties groups such as Liberty and NO2ID are firmly opposed to the cards. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats both say they would scrap them.
But LibDem Leader Nick Clegg has told Reuters in an interview that Brown can wait almost a decade to 2017 before pushing the issue of compulsion for all to a parliamentary vote — assuming, of course, that he or a Labour successor is still in power.
Is that too long to wait to decide such a controversial issue?
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14 comments so far
The Government are ultimately responsible for the loss of data, but it is civil servants who have actually lost the data.
Are they ever brought to task? Do they lose their jobs? I suspect not.
Incompetence seems to be the “in” word for both the Government and the civil service.
- Posted by Eric J. UsherI used to be an avid supporter of ID cards and believed that properly and securely administered they will be good for us all. However I am now totally opposed to them following recent revelations of security leaks, losses or call them what you like. There is no way that I will trust the government to hold all that information on me.
- Posted by PhilI pay tax and will never be able to claim any benefits so I will not need one.
Thanks Gordon that another area you have failed us!
I am a total supporter of compulsory ID cards. A simple question, why not?
However, the system needs simple but careful administration, for example, NI number, passport and driving license must all bear the same number.
I find it absolutely amazing that people talk of all types of “civil liberty” reasons not to have them. Conclusion is that is total nonesense! What about social security fraud? Illegal immigrants? Credit card fraud? Identity theft? and so on?
Whilst on driving licenses, why the &*&** do we have to carry a piece of paper AND the card? Record driver details on an magnetic strip and get rid of the paper nonsense!
Finally, dont let incompetance of data loss cloud the undeniable advantages of ID cards.
- Posted by David MMy concern is that data about every person in the UK will be accessible to those criminals who have the technology to access the information. The banks have been trying for years to curb theft and have failed miserably until fairly recently. Just think though, if a criminal could access your bank account, your credit card etc, what could they do if they knew your National Insurance number, your Pension number to just name 2! The result for individuals could be catastrophic!!!
- Posted by Robert WilliamsNo amount of security is ever tight enough as criminals constantly update their tools and technology but would the Government be as enthusiastic OR indeed put the money in place to ensure their “customers” are 100% safe? Somehow I don’t think so because in Britain, don’t we always “shut the gate when the horse has bolted”?
Compulsory ID cards? In the UK? You are joking!!
I am not a number, I am a free man.
- Posted by David ClewsMr. Clews Sir,
I beg to differ, you are not a free man, you are recorded as a number in hundreds of organisations!
I also forgot to mention census fraud, no authority has a clue how many inhabitants there are in the UK!
In my opinion, the only people who object to ID cards are those who have something to hide.
Do citizens of other Europe countries where ID cards are compulsory feel they are not free? Of course not.
- Posted by DavidMThere is no purpose in having a vote. The UK government has no interest in implementing identity cards as a UK initiative. It is simply preparing the ground for the future introduction of EU identity cards and when the time comes will impose them beneath the cloak of “fulfilling its treaty obligations”.
- Posted by Mike TA tired reply to all those who say “what is the problem with ID cards, and that europeans carry them with no problem:”
First there is the simple matter of privacy: just a basic human right, not to do with having anything to hide, but just not having to go in and give personal details to an official.
Then there is the protection of that data. It will be really valuable for criminals, corporations etc, and the safe guards always break down at the weakest link - the civil servant, or probably the worker in the private company hired to input the data. Offers of money above their wages will at some point be taken up, and the assurances that laws punishing offenders will protect that data from being stolen wont stop it - if laws did do that, we wouldnt have such large prison populations. Then of course ther is human error - the loss of 25 million people’s personal data last yeare attests to that.
Then there is whether a scheme costing billions of pounds - a figure that will rise, as all goernment schemes exceed budget (millenium dome, Olympics, Scottish parliament etc) - is either worth the money, or effective. It wont stop terrorism, and may even aid it, as ID cards lead to a fasle sense of security: If some one has ID they must be legitimate. It wont stop illegal immigrataion, as ilegal immigrants live outside the system anyway. It probably will lead to a whole new criminal bonanza in the supply of fake ID however. It wont stop benefit fraud - most fraud is not about ID but about claiming through false information.
Yes, Europeans do have ID cards, but the government scheme is of an entirely different order. It is the National Identity Register that does that. EVERY SINGLE transaction with the State from birth to death will be logged by the State. Do we really want the State to have that much power over us? I dont trust even this government after the lies over Iraq, and the corruption, I certainly have no idea what other truely draconian governments may come in in the future that will have this system set up. Totalitarian governments can easily come in in so called democracies - Hilter was elected. George Bush was elected. (Well, actually he wasn’t in the first election, but it goes to show how easily our so called democracies can be used.) (Yes, I do say that George Bush is heading a very dangerous administration: I follow american news closely, and if you really look beyond the mainstream you find that he and Cheney have gradually set themsleves apart from proper oversight.)
So, please, if you are pro ID cards, can you give a proper debate over something that will change in a fundamental way our relationship as citizens to the State, and not just a: “If you’ve nothing to hide, you’ve nothing to fear.” On that argument, we should all just be tagged from birth and filmed every single second of our life, and report to police stations every day, after all, if you’ve nothing to hide….”
- Posted by Howardi have some concerns about the security of information but I consider the benefits of controlling fraud, illegal immigration etc to outweigh this. They should be compulsory for anyone claiming access to Public services such as benefits, medical (other than emergency)and social housing.
- Posted by PaulDavidM obviously works for the government with his support of ID cards. A cure for fraud? Unlikely once the system has been hacked or the details lost in the post on a cd or on a laptop left somewhere. The plan is to introduce a complex system the experts say is unlikely to work added to the inability of this government to introduce any IT system on time, on budget and that works. And who is calling for ID cards? Oh, yes, the government that is mired in corruption - or should that be administrative oversights - and systematic lying. The Third Reich had ID cards - they were used to say who went to the gas chambers and who didn’t. A total waste of our money and everyone’s time - never trust a government with more information than it needs. Mike T is probably right, the European Soviet Union will no doubt require us to have their ID cards in the future now that Gordon has agreed to the constitution - oops sorry treaty - that ended this nation’s independance.
- Posted by gerryI support ID cards simply because I have no other form of ID. I live on a very low income and haven’t got a passport or driving licence and cannot afford to get either one. Therefore an ID card would be ideal for me as you need photo ID for most things these days.
- Posted by ScotsBamUnfortunatly it feels as that all we can do is but speculate.
The government is a force that if they want to do something, they will do it; no matter the public opinion.
It is sad that accountability is lost within the public sector. It should be fairer.
They need to make good active progessive steps forward, not just to stumble in the dark.
They will waste billions on ID cards & it is completely unpractical.
But we are just the public, oh well. What do the
- Posted by mohan singhgovernment care for our thoughts?…
As an older person who lived through the second World War as a youngster, when ID Cards were compulsory for everyone, they hold no fear for me and I would not find them intrusive. They would be of benefit in many ways to prevent fraud and other criminal activities, and an aid to various public services and the police. I therefore am in favour of them.
- Posted by JackieI was not going to post again here as I have already posted twice!
- Posted by DavidMHowever, I must defend the comment of Gerry. No, I most certainly do not work for any government agency and can identify with almost all the criticisms posted regarding our (and US) politicians.
My views are based on spending many years in several western European democracies living and working, and carry an ID card. When I come back (frequently) to the UK I am saddened to the depths my birthplace has sunk in so many diverse ways.
Anyway, we will not solve the ID card question here but I for one enjoy reading your comments, even though I might not agree with all.
I find it heartening that my arguments are supported by some very interesting people, one who lived through the war and another on low income.