UK Identity Card Evasion To Become A Crime?

A Whitehall consultation paper would appear to suggest that evasion of the proposed national ID card system is to become a crime punishable by stiff fines.
This measure would see local authorities empowered to police and enforce mandatory ID card carrying, by checking against the electoral register, to identify individuals without a valid card.



The UK already has the biggest DNA database in the world, more CCTV cameras than anywhere else in Europe and we are soon to have a new vehicle tracking system in place on all motorways, town / city centres and main "A" roads. Now it seems the government is planning much more than a voluntary ID card carrying scheme, which I have believed to be the case for a long time.
It's bad enough that they proposed selling data to third parties to help pay for the scheme, now we may face penalties for not producing a valid card when challenged in our own homes by local council officers.

I get the impression that this is a more than just a proposal as it appears that plans are already being made to cross-reference ID card holder data with a new national electoral role database. Even moving house and not re-registering could be punishable by a hefty fine.

Papers please citizen!

[edit on 1-14-2006 by Valhall]

This is something I strongly disagree on. There is no point in having national ID card system, it will not benifit in any way.

In addition, we will have to shell out money to buy the bloody things! Bugger off!

What about if I forget to take it out with me? I forget my bleedin' head when I leave the house let alone remebering to drag along a peice of sodding plastic.

Seems like someone has a lot of time on their hands in the Home Office.

good story britguy, totally missed it myself.

Its just absolutely outrageous. There should be a revolution over this...

but their wont be

i like the contradiction with their new argument for the cards that they are protecting identity fraud and the fact they were willing to sell the data to any old third party that asked for it!!!!!

utter, utter disgrace!

[edit on 20-3-2006 by AdamJ]

I'm sorry but this is a Daily Telegraph story (and given their permanent political agenda that instantly raises suspicions).

It's also a story where the paper/journo doesn't even quote the supposed 'root' legislation that it claims makes all this possible (a sure give-away that someone is being wildly creative over what the law - if it even exists at all - says or apples to).
How can anyone check their claims of a 'neo-facist UK just around the corner' when they do not specifically refer to this supposed legislation?

The reason why no-one is saying much of anything about this is far more likely to be that it is simply an outlet like the Telegraph or Mail stretching a minor point way beyond credibility.

......and for those who want to insist that some sort of ID card must equal a police state what about those democratic states that have them now, and what about those democracies that make them compulsory now?
Are Italy and Germany now 'dictatorships'?

I don't think so.

[edit on 20-3-2006 by sminkeypinkey]

Originally posted by sminkeypinkey


......and for those who want to insist that some sort of ID card must equal a police state what about those democratic states that have them now, and what about those democracies that make them compulsory now?
Are Italy and Germany now 'dictatorships'?

Or, indeed, Spain.

Why is it they want to introduce these silly cards again? Other than as another waste of money....?

Originally posted by Essan
[Why is it they want to introduce these silly cards again? Other than as another waste of money....?

- There's an honest disagreement about the usefulness or otherwise of ID cards (compulsory or otherwise).
That's fair enough and I completely accept that there are two sides to that debate (although trying to get people on the 'anti' side to accept that those in support of this might have a few good points on their side and aren't all just for enslaving the populace is a rarity).

There are perfectly sound reasons why ID cards might assist us in a variety of ways.
The key word there is 'assist'.
They are no panacea but they may well help, a lot.

Try experiencing your ID being stolen and experience the nightmare of around a year trying to recover to where you were before it happened (as has happened to, now 2, people I know).
There are sound arguments for believing they would help counter crime and terrorism (even the 'activity trails' laid from the use of faked ones would be useful in that regard).

In purely personal terms alone a 'biometric' system would be something I would be glad to have - and if it acted as a replacement for my passport and driving licence and NHS card etc etc it could be so much more convenient to me.

In fact as private business and the financial world worry more and more about fraud I think the demand for these is going to come in that direction to begin with; I can see a day where bank accounts, loans or mortgages won't be obtainable unless you can prove your identity with a biometric card.

But what I can't just go along with in all of this is the underlying implication in this argument from some that ID cards (whether compulsory or not) are, in and of themselves, somehow anti-democratic or fascistic.

They aren't.

It might not be the 'British tradition' (but even then they are not entirely unknown to us as a nation) but IMO it is perfectly possible to have a free and democratic society with an ID card system in place.

[edit on 20-3-2006 by sminkeypinkey]

What I object to is the amount of data to be stored on each of us, like we are catalogued livestock. I already disagree with "data collection" companies building up data on us all and selling it off to marketing organisations that bombard us with junk mail. That is a total invasion of privacy and they should not have the right to use anything about me for marketing or other purposes.
The cost of this system will be astronomical, but another nice little earner I expect for the governments favourite IT contractor
The government already has census records, NI records, Tax records, electoral records etc....etc... What purpose will these cards actually serve?
Will we have open access to the information stored to check it's accuracy and any additional data that we are not initially aware of? I think not!

Those who are trying to impose this upon us are busy classifying everything about themselves whilst subjecting the rest of us to ever more probing and invasion of privacy. The reasons they have so far given to justify the National ID scheme just don't hold up in reality.
Who ever gave these idiots in power the authority to impose this stuff on the population? They are, after all, public servants and answerable to the people, or have I somehow misunderstood the role of government?

Originally posted by Britguy
Those who are trying to impose this upon us are busy classifying everything about themselves whilst subjecting the rest of us to ever more probing and invasion of privacy. The reasons they have so far given to justify the National ID scheme just don't hold up in reality.
Who ever gave these idiots in power the authority to impose this stuff on the population? They are, after all, public servants and answerable to the people, or have I somehow misunderstood the role of government?

You have misunderstood im afraid, they are career politicians who do whats best for their careers. [/cynicism off]

Although i saw an insteresting explanation recently, someone said Tony Blair and co. generally believe the majority of population to be lazy and need looking after. something along those lines but he put it better than me

That's what is wrong with politics. I have a deep mistrust of anyone who would make a career out of imposing their will on others!
Sure would be nice to have oversight and scrutiny of government spending and every aspect of their lives, as they propose to have over ours

You can have your biometric cards/chips/tags with your bank accounts, medical records, "activities", etc. I'm gonna die in my hole, a free man, with no collar around my neck.

Originally posted by Britguy
That's what is wrong with politics. I have a deep mistrust of anyone who would make a career out of imposing their will on others!
Sure would be nice to have oversight and scrutiny of government spending and every aspect of their lives, as they propose to have over ours

heh
thats a good idea.
All politicians should be tagged, have chips implanted, have to show their loyalty and sanity cards at all times.
Then what they get up to can be better monitored and any brief excursions to worship giant owls in bohemia can be spotted and cards can be removed!