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.


The arguments
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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.

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Wednesday, February 11, 2004
ID cards will only ruin the lives of the law abiding
Brian Micklethwait (London)
(0)   Identity cards

Paul of Manchester United Ruined My Life has this to say about ID cards, and the claim that they might prevent horrors like the recent mass drowning of those unfortunate Chinese:

The recent tragic death of 19 Chinese cockle pickers demonstrates why 'Mad Dog' Blunket's ID card scheme will fail to address his issues.

If you are willing to live in terrible conditions as reported here by icWales (40 to a house, no bedding, etc) and work for £1/day, do you seriously think that you could care less about a voluntary ID card?

It simply shows that if you are willing to break numerous laws, that the police can't enforce anyway, then further legislation introducing ID cards, is a futile measure when it comes to stopping criminal activity. In fact the only people ID cards will significantly affect are the law abiding citizens of the UK who will not doubt adopt and follow the rules to the detriment of their own personal freedom.

UPDATE: Blunkett is saying more of the same (Thur 12th) again, so so is Paul of MURML again.