White Rose is a protest blog collective focusing on civil liberties in the UK.
It was set up to point a finger at the erosion of personal freedom in the UK.
Government's active measures introduce new means of control such as identity cards and surveillance cameras, the passive measures such as weakening of double jeopardy and presumption of innocence.


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Gabriel Syme and Perry de Havilland of Samizdata.net to rally the Anglosphere behind the UK.
White Rose contributors are those bloggers and non-bloggers who oppose restrictions on personal liberties.

To find out how to become a White Rose contributor, please go here.
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Beverley Hughes Pushes for UK ID Cards
Trevor Mendham (The Chestnut Tree Cafe)
(0)   Identity cards

Immigration Minister Beverley Hughes has become the latest recruit to Big Blunkett's cause. The BBC Reports that Hughes has supported introducing compulsory National Identity Cards for innocent British citizens. She told the Home Affairs Committee that ID Cards would be a good thing because they are "the only way" to prevent illegal immigrants from working.

She is wrong for three simple reasons:


  1. Lack of ID Card would not stop most of the illegal immigrants who work for cash, no questions asked and no records kept.
  2. ID Cards would not prevent illegal immigrants - or others - supporting themselves though crime.
  3. Even if the Cards did work, describing them as the "only way" is pure hyperbole. There are always options.

Hughes also talked about an on-going cost benefit analysis of ID Cards. It would be interesting to know how the privacy and civil liberties issues of ID Cards are being costed. In all probability they are being ignored, making the entire analysis worthless.

I've emailed Ms Hughes asking that question. In the unlikely event that she replies I'll pass it on.

Cross posted from The Chestnut Tree Cafe


Comments

An email to a Minister is very likely to be ignored.

You are better off sending a Recorded Delivery snail mail letter

The civil service is much more used to dealing with those than with email (it is only the 21st century, after all). They even have Quality of Service targets to meet when it comes to replying to letters.

Posted by: Watching Them, Watching Us on October 22, 2003 01:54 AM
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