Todays Daily mail has the (story)that anyone can be asked to produce ID to prove who they are and if failing to do so face arrest

 

It's been a while, but once again I'll try to write a defense of ID cards, this time taking a look the way government agencies look after their data and what advantages an ID card scheme could bring. I do realise that I've not yet touched on Civil Liberties issues, I'll be addressing that issue next.

Having read the posts on the policy wish list thread earlier, it appears that many people dislike ID cards. Despite being a left winger, I disagree with many other lefties on the subject so I'd like to do a series of posts addressing the issues relating to ID cards in an attempt to try and change a few minds. I thought I'd start with one I blogged a little earlier relating to data loss scandals and how this relates to ID cards.

What would you rather spend money on: ID Cards or on Renewable energy sources?

The only reason why Germany and Denmark have more wind power, is because it gave subsidies to kick-start green energy. It would cost us under a billion to cover the costs of undersea cables for offshore wind.

We should also subsidise micro-generation. To install solar panels or windmills with CHP boilers on millions of homes would cost a fraction of ID cards.

We also need an extension of the Braintree model. Cut £100 off council tax, in exchange for insulating homes, lagging lofts, and other energy efficient measures.

The planning permission for windmills and solar panels should be relaxed. All new homes built should have micro-generators.

Let's look at a list* of some of the main things have been made illegal (or might be made illegal) for no good reason (whether such a ban is actually enforced or not in practice is by-the-by) and the two most stupid traffic regulations:

The government broke its own law and published new ID card costings a month late, entirely by chance on the day that the news focused on Tony's departure. 

The scheme will now cost us at least £400m more than was estimated six months ago.  And that's if you believe government figures.

According to today's Times voters may soon be asked for photographic identification at polling stations following radical proposals from the Electoral Commission. The commission's chairman, told the Times that there was an urgent need for greater security at the ballot box following new safeguards for those voting by post and suggested that voters should produce a passport, driving licence or other photo ID at polling booths, or apply for a free electoral identity card.

Personally I have always had my doubts about ID cards - mainly centred on the pragmatic aspects and not the principle. As far as I can see the government's planned ID cards will only contain basic identification information including the name, address, gender, date of birth and a photo of the holder - not unlike many Storecards that millions of people in Britain already have. The case for ID cards is a case not about liberty but about the modern world. Biometrics give us the chance to have secure identity and the bulk of the ID cards' cost will have to be spent on the new biometric passports in any event. It is also the case that a national identity system will have direct benefits in making our borders more secure and countering illegal immigration. ID cards should be made compulsory for all non-EU foreign nationals looking for work, this will enable us, for the first time, to check accurately those coming into our country, their eligibility to work, for free hospital treatment or to claim benefits - or indeed to vote!

Where do the candidates stand on ID cards?

With the Tories and Lib Dems fully committed to scrapping ID Cards.  How much will this affect Labour at the polls?  Is it really a plastic poll tax, or do Labour need to start taking on Tory and Lib Dem arguments more robustly?

Charles Clarke is presenting 'The Insider' on C4 (7:30 tonight) which looks at identity fraud/ID Cards/DNA national databases and the national system of medical records verses.

The Insider: fighting identity fraud:
http://www.the2020vision.org.uk/index.php/pages/news-article/the-insider-fighting-identity-fraud/

Defending Democracy, Protecting Civil Liberties:
http://www.the2020vision.org.uk/index.php/pages/speech/defending-democracy-protecting-civil-libertie s/

Tony Blair's repsone to the e-petition against ID Cards:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/IDcards/

My own view is that Labour have alot of problems with this issue, there seems to be a school of thought that by saying that ID cards can prevent terrorism or illegal immigration it will automatically be accepted.  Do we have faith in the Home Office/Government to manage big IT projects given it's past record?  

Even if some aspects of the ID card scheme may seem sensible it almost seems imposible to get the positive's across to the public.  Is there a case for major u-turn?  Or if the Government is confident of it's case should it be bolder in making the arguments?

Tories changing their minds is nothing new - particularly under David Cameron's leadership - but to be in favour of ID cards one day and opposed to them the next smacks of ... opportunism.

The Poll Tax was hated, the Millennium Dome an expensive white elephant.  ID cards will be both.

Brown seems very enthusiastic

ID cards will be in the next manifesto, so said Tony Blair yesterday.  But does anyone have any confidence in the scheme, or know what it's really for?  And why does the Party appear to have rolled-over and accepted it?