Research by the BBC indicates that Big Blunkett doesn't have much support within his own party for his plans to force compulsory National Identity cards on innocent British citizens.
Of the 101 Labour MPs who responded to the poll, over half wanted more investigation before any such plan is introduced. A third of them were opposed to the scheme.
Do you know where your MP stands on the issue? More importantly, do they know where you stand?
Cross-posted from The Chestnut Tree Cafe
I wrote to my MP earlier this year following the fiasco over the STAND responses. I had also copied him into my response to the consultation document asking just that question....where did he stand on the matter? The first response was that he was undecided. The second, a little less vague in that he conceded that he agreed with some of my concerns.
Generally, one's MP will be as neutral in response as possible. Part of the job description, I guess.
I wrote to my MP several months ago and he sent me a consultation document (a detailed, perfect -bound booklet of a 100-odd pages) with his reply, agreeing with my objections and saying that he thought it was extremely unlikely, because unworkable, that ID cards would be introduced any time soon....I was quite impressed with his response but thought that technical difficulties wouldn't stop them, I'm just wondering now when and where we will be required to attend for iris scanning screenings or DNA sampling - or will that already have been performed at school - the BBC had a gushing report about a super scheme in a secondary school where iris scanning was used for attendance and library book tracking...
I wrote to my (Blairite) MP in January as part of the response to the Home Office's 'public consultation period'. Like Mark, I received a largely neutral reply and it did not address any of the questions or concerns I had raised in my letter. In fact, for the effort of putting together a letter outlining my stance on ID cards and the reasons I opposed the government's proposals in reply I received nothing more than a form letter with my name attached at the top. What an utter waste of time - although it was amusing to read the reply which seemed to vaguely support ID cards on the basis that they would help tackle 'underage drinking'. Brilliant.
My MP (the glorious former minister Frank Dobson) was utterly vacuous. I wrote at the time of the last public consultation. He sent my letter on to the Home Office for them to respond, and copied me their response, without ever expressing a view of his own, for, against, or neutral.
Words fail me at a Privy Counsellor who operates as an accomodation address for the civil service.
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