ID Cards

A year or so back we had a large office block in Norwich for HM Stationery Office and it employed quite a lot of people. After several years it was closed when things were re-organised and staff moved to another part of the country.

This morning we heard that this large office block will have extensive refurbishment and then be used as a Passport Office and part of it will be used for issuing the proposed new ID Cards with provision for everybody to be fingerprinted.

So in spite of strong opposition from some quarters this government is ignoring it all and going ahead anyway.

Don't spend all your money at Christmas - best to keep some to pay for your new ID Card! :eek:

 

jjordie,I'm never going to be political in here but, IMHO ,if cards get the bad guys off the street..so be it. On a neutral stance,It will generate jobs though.

 

ID cards are in all EU countries except the UK at the mo and I dread to even think about it there! If it happens, it happens, whether we like it or not! :eek:

 

Have to say I agree with Pal on this one. It may be a breach of civil liberties, but if the purpose and result is to keep tabs on those who are out to do wrong of whatever sort, I'll put up with it.

 

They even made us have ID cards at the school where I work. We cannot understand the logic of why we needed our photos on them. The first time they issued them they got a technician to take the photos, which he did from a distance of about 3 feet. Gave every one big noses. As a keen photographer I was quite vocal in my criticism. So they did them again and I annoyed them by carefully vetting my photos. I am not vain but it was not until they had stood the correct distance, sorted out the lighting that I accepted it. So we walk around with the things facing our chests anyway. The governers insist we wear them but don't say which way. I can understand a name tag but pictures as well?
When the kids ask me what they are for I say it is so we can look at them and remember what our names are.
When some one came in to try and steal stuff they just put on a tag like the visitors are given and carried a clip board around. Went away with about 6 credit cards and a couple of mobile phones.

 

Yes - I'm all for ID cards if they can be made cheat proof. Too much identity fraud going on. One bloke recently was convicted of taking the driving test on behalf of 200 others who had never had a lesson. Its all to easy and ID cards should contain finger prints, iris scans, DNA records and anything else that can't be faked. An honest person should have no cause to worry.

On the otherhand - anyone remember the fatal ID mistake in the film Brazil? :eek:

 

If it's a breach of civil liberties, then I'm afraid one has the whole EU to fight against and somehow I don't think that is viable.

Having worked in "law" of one kind or another since 1967 (criminal, personal injury, domestic, commercial, employment. contract) and I am qualified, my theory is ... if you can't fight them, join them! or just ignore them! :D :D :D

 

I would like to believe this would happen but I don't think for one minute it will have this effect. It's more lazy state policing of normal people like us than a proper crack down on fraudulent scum.

 

I carried an ID card when in the forces, no big deal, contained my name, rank, and service number and a photo - but whilst in theory an public ID card should be no big deal, I trust this government as far as I can throw them.

I have nothing to hide - but I don't want all my personal data, DNA, Fingerprints, iris scan, medical history, financial history on one government central database - which they can use for whatever purpose they chose. My distrust of this government and the attempts they have made to use information for thier own purposes is deep.

And lets take a look at when you would be asked to produce such an ID card - that would be checked more than looking at the photo. In the investigation of a crime - if you happen to be in the area - but they can do that without an ID card, and take samples of dna, fingerprints and the like. Carrying an ID card does not prevent crime, nor prevent terrorist attacks. How could it. Nor would it save many lives to have your whole medical history on it - always assuming that you could update it at regular intervals.

Whilst I have no objection to carrying an ID card, I would have considerable objection if that was more than I had to carry in the Air Force, or as others have to carry in course of their employment, or indeed students.

AND I certainly ain't paying for it.

Sorry just pushed my hot button - I will now be good and quiet.

 

Well said ! :D

 

I am in favour of any necessary measure for a more peaceful and safe environment. In Italy is common to have an identity card, so I am already used to it...

 

ID cards won't stop no hijacked jet (to quote a song by Ian Brown)

 

When I worked for a large electronics company we always had to wear an ID badge with our photo's on the front,we never thought anything of it.I think another reason they want to do it is because a lot of identities from deceased people are being used in false benefit claims,and while we are about it It's about time peoples identities should be shown in newspapers when they have been found guilty of crimes against young children,if it is considered a minor offence.I found out some time back that a pervert has moved into our village,but because the identity is kept secret,it cannot be found...lets nams and shame them...end of sermon

 

Those that live in large city ? town areas full of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers would gladly welcome Id cards..My husband has sometimes arrested people they pretend they cant speak english and some times he has had to wait all day for an interpreter to travel up from london..to sort it out..a whole day just waiting on one person..and a great expense to the tax payer fetching the interpretors in as they charge a fortune..If someone is not carrying an id well then its easier to deal with and if someone is carrying false id and the fingerprints dont match up ..well again it makes life simpler..We live in a horridble world those that dont live in horridble places dont understand..Guns and drugs and gangs are the order of the day..their are 3 gangs here in wolverhampton and they are allways at war with each other over teritory to sell their nasty drugs..if they left fingerprints or dna at crime scenes it would be so much easier to track these people down..at least the police would know who they were looking for..and not faced with a wall of silence from the general public..I dont mind carrying id as i have nothing to hide...and as a lot of them claim benefits then they would have to get id to get the benefits..so it would help everyone out..as some people claim more benefits than they are entitled too...Those that live in little areas dont really understand at all...i could walk down the road a mile and anything i wanted could be mine...the shoplifters steal to order..and also round here people get council houses live elsewhere and rent the council houses out even though the tax payer is allready paying the rent and they pocket the cash..its a real eye opener to live amongst the thieves..I have even worked with thieves here but as i am fearless i reported them..bring on the id so we know who is commiting some of the awfull crimes then they can be found quicker..

[ 24. November 2006, 08:29 AM: Message edited by: wildflower ]

 

Yes in agreement with you,really i'm so lucky living where i do,only the occasional wrong doer but never on my doorstep!