The No2ID campaign have released their latest newsletter packed full of useful information and stories on this "extremely expensive and largely ineffective" plan of the UK government.
Well worth a read and reproduced in full below. (for working links use the website)
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++ Identity Cards Bill Enters Committee Stage
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+ Government Rushing Bill Through
The Identity Cards Bill will now enter the Committee Stage, where a committee will examine the bill clause by clause. However the level of scrutiny that MPs will be able to give the bill is questionable. The government is rushing the bill through parliament following a programme motion (in effect, a guillotine) that means the committee stage must be completed by 27th January. MPs do not return from Christmas recess until Monday, 10th January, so that leaves just two an a half weeks to examine a controversial bill that has enormous costs and major constitutional implications.
The committee will then produce a report, which will be allowed just one hour of debate in the commons. The Third Reading of the bill is limited to a single day. The low turnout for the Second Reading of the bill(173 MPs absent or abstained) suggests that there could be a more sizeable back bench revolt at Third Reading. NO2ID has compiled a list of MPs who publicly support NO2ID (several more do so privately), as well as those that are opposed to ID cards in principle. See www.no2id.net/about/mp_supporters.php
Revolts.co.uk has produced an analysis of the Second Reading backbench rebellion. See http://tinyurl.co.uk/x0p9 (PDF file)
After Third Reading the bill will then got to the House of Lords where it is expected to meet stiffer opposition. Many believe this is where the best hopes for stopping it lie.
Nevertheless...
+ ID Bill Committee Stage - Lobby Your MP
We urgently call on all supporters to contact their MPs, Councillors, AMs and MSPs to make them aware of your concerns and to point out that ID cards are not a popular measure, despite what a number of them believe. If you get a response then please pass on details of their position to our Parliamentary Liaison, Rachael Marsh (parliamentary.liaison@no2id.net).
List of MSPs - http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msp/index.htm
List of AMs - http://www.wales.gov.uk/who/constit_e.htm
Fax Westminster MPs - http://www.faxyourmp.com/
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++ What Just Happened?
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+ NO2ID Opens Campaign Office
Great news this week, as NO2ID gets a new office on the south bank of the Thames, near Lambeth Palace and a short walk from the Houses of Parliament. We're starting small, but there is plenty of space for expansion in the building as the office grows. The postal address for external communications remains the same.
If you live in London and have a few hours to spare during the week please volunteer to join the staff rota helping to handle the vital clerical work to support the campaign. (volunteeer@no2id.net) If you can't, please help us with running costs. The rent in the short-term is kindly underwritten by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd, but to make the office work for us means meeting the running costs of constant lobbying by mail and by phone. Please support us with a donation.
You can get a membership/standing order donation form at www.no2id.net/content/join.html To donate by PayPal or bank transfer, see www.no2id.net/content/donate.html
+ Local Groups Forming Across the Country
The following brave people are now acting as local NO2ID contacts in their area, others are in the queue. (So our apologies to local contacts who don't find themselves here, yet.)
BARROW IN FURNESS - Paul Robson - barrow.in.furness@no2id.net BIRMINGHAM - Nick Drew - birmingham@no2id.net BRIGHTON - Rob Whitehead - brighton@no2id.net BRISTOL - Richard McCormack - bristol@no2id.net CAMBRIDGE - Andrew Watson - cambridge@no2id.net CARDIFF - Dafydd Elcome - cardiff@no2id.net CARLISLE - Douglas Baptie - carlisle@no2id.net EDINBURGH - Trevor Mendham - edinburgh@no2id.net GLASGOW - Vic Arcari - glasgow@no2id.net HULL - Rev Alisdair Lairds - hull@no2id.net
NEWCASTLE - Robin Ashby - newcastle@no2id.net
NEWTON ABBOT - Dr Andy Marchant - newton.abbot@no2id.net
OXFORD - Mike Bolton - oxford@no2id.net
PETERBOROUGH - Mark Ringer - peterborough@no2id.net
RHYL - Christopher Gould - rhyl@no2id.net
SHEFFIELD - Catherine Luker - sheffield@no2id.net
WOKING - Paul Campbell - woking@no2id.net
WORTHING - Trevor Hodgson - worthing@no2id.net
Please get in touch with them if you can help out locally. If you'd like to join them as a local contact for your town, you should be a member and be prepared to be contacted by supporters and local journalists.
+ NO2ID Discussion Forums
The NO2ID website now has discussion forums and bulletin boards for supporters and members to discusss all things related too ID control, and share ideas and suggestions for the campaign. There are forums for posting links to articles, discussing the Identity, Cards Bill and announcing forthcoming events. To get the best value from the system, you will need to register. See http://www.no2id.net/phpbb/
+ E-Petition Still Open
The petition continues to help us reach more supporters and let more people express their views on ID cards. If you would like to collect paper signatures in your area, please let Guy Taylor
(local.groups@no2id.net) know.
The "official" petition is now listed on the cabinet office website, together with an indication that a response will be posted "in due course". The petition was submitted to the Cabinet Office six weeks ago. The stated policy is that the Government will normally take two weeks to respond. http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/page297.asp
Please continue to encourage people to sign the petition at http://www.no2id-petition.net/
+ Labour Government Rejected ID Cards in 1974
Government papers released under the 30-year rule show that in the wake of the IRA Birmingham pub bombings in 1974, the then Labour government considered ID cards but rejected them because of cost and the impact they would have on civil liberties.
The ID scheme proposed by the current government is far more expensive (even in relative terms) and an even greater threat to civil liberties, with its centralised database, unique National Identity Register Number, and biometric data. Strange, then, that Charles Clarke thinks it "is an enhancement, not an inhibition, of civil liberties." See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4139049.stm
+ SpyBlog Requests ID Card "Gateway Review"
SpyBlog has submitted a request, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), for the Office of Government Commerce Gateway Reviews of the Identity Cards Programme. Gateway Reviews are independent financial reviews carried out by a team of experts at certain fixed key decision points over the lifetime of a programme.
The government has been reluctant to release information relating to the proposed ID card scheme, citing "reasons of commercial confidentiality". Lord Falconer has already indicated that FOIA requests for the legal guidance on the introduction of ID cards are likely to be declined. See http://www.spy.org.uk/foia/archives/2005/01/ogc_gateway_rev.html
SpyBlog has also set up blogs for those wishing to comment on the text of the Identity Cards Bill clause by clause, or on the accompanying Regulatory Impact Assessment.
http://www.spy.org.uk/icb/
http://www.spy.org.uk/icbria
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++ What's Next?
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+ Biometric Passports, Contactless Chips And Global ID
The government continues to use the introduction of biometric passports as a justification for ID cards. It claims we have to upgrade our passports, due to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) guidelines, so we may as well have an ID card while we're at it. However biometric passports are now at the centre of much controversy.
The American Civil Liberties Union has produced a white paper that highlights a number of privacy and security issues surrounding the ICAO standard. Insertion of an unencrypted contactless chip into passports means it will be possible to read the passport data from a distance of 20cm or more. The ACLU also warns that the ICAO standard is a move towards a global identity card.
Meanwhile the European Union seems set to rethink its biometric passport proposals after a technical report to the European Council stated that "the solution envisaged by the draft regulation is not technically feasible".
Back in the UK, an EU law specialist at the University of Essex says that the government's proposed biometric passport system could conflict with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as well as data protection legislation.
Set against this comes news of the costly US-VISIT programme that biometrically scans visitors at seaports, airports and border controls in the United States. The programme has cost 700 million dollars so far. The LA Times reports that last year 16.9 million foreign visitors were checked through the system, 372 of whom were arrested or denied entry. Of the 372 none was linked to terrorism.
ACLU White Paper http://www.aclu.org/Privacy/Privacy.cfm?ID=17078&c=130
Statewatch report on EU passports http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/jan/02update-visas-biometrics.htm
UK passports & human rights http://nxtpresa.butterworths.co.uk/freelaw/news/DailyNewsItem.asp#3958
LA Times report on US-VISIT
http://tinyurl.co.uk/qbuc
+ 17 January - IPPR/OII Public Meeting
'Identity, Technology and the Public Interest: New Directions for Research and Public Policy' 2pm - 5pm at Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy 3 Robert Street, London WC2N 6RL This joint ippr-OII forum will bring together researchers, practitioners and policy-makers to discuss some of the most recent developments in research and public policy. Speakers will include:
William Dutton, Oxford Internet Institute
Will Davies, IPPR
Andrew Pinder, Consultant and former E-envoy
Matthew Kabatoff, Goldsmiths College
The event is free and open to the public. If you wish to attend, you must register your name and affiliation, if any, with events@oii.ox.ac.uk
+ 18 January - 'Identity cards, the state and the individual'
6:15pm at 23 Great Smith Street, London SW1.
The Adam Smith Institute, a libertarian think tank, is holding a roundtable discussion on 'Identity cards, the state and the individual' at the Institute's offices. The event will be followed by a drinks reception and places are limited. Speakers will include:
Rt Hon. Peter Lilley MP (former Minister for Social Security)
Sarah Arnott of Computing (the IT industry's newspaper)
Seamus Heffernan from Civitas
E-mail events@adamsmith.org if you would like to attend.
+ 25th January - NO2ID Public Meeting, Cambridge
7:30pm at Fisher Hall, Guildhall Place, Cambridge.
Speakers are to include:
Peter Lilley, MP PC
Ross Anderson, Professor of Security Engineering, U. of Cambridge
David Howarth, Prospective Liberal Democrat candidate for Cambridge
Tauhid Pasha, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants
+ Coming soon - Fundraising Event in London
Find out what an extraordinarily diverse range of ideas NO2ID people have. And raise funds for the battle ahead. Details will depend on how much interest there is. Contact our events manager, Cassandra Rae
(events@no2id.net) if you would like to know more.
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++ "ID" In the News
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Labour's Zombie Army clinches ID card vote for Clarke http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/12/21/id_bill_2nd_reading/
Plugs to be pulled on EU biometric visa scheme? http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/01/07/cards_for_bio_visa/
Reform think tank says Identity Cards Bill does not stand up to scrutiny http://www.reform.co.uk/website/pressroom/bulletinarchive.aspx?o=91
SNP says ID Cards won't catch more criminals http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2261
ID Cards bill is given a second reading http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,11026,1377985,00.html
Labour and Tory MPs absent in protest http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1411314,00.html
Clarke burnt as MPs revolt over ID cards http://tinyurl.co.uk/ep1c
Are ID cards legal under human rights legislation? http://management.silicon.com/government/0,39024677,39126646,00.htm
Government withholds ID card legal advice http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/emergingtech/0,39020357,39181772,00.htm
ID cards will be used as a stick to beat poor http://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/121604/f121604_07.htm
A face-to-face interview to get your first passport http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/12/22/npass22.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/12/22/
ixhome.html
ID cards may become healthcare 'entitlement' cards http://www.e-health-insider.com/news/item.cfm?ID=980
Policing is far more important than ID cards, says Redwood http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=3D/news/2004/12/30/nid30.xml
ID card bonanza for foreign firms http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/business/articles/timid396703
ID Cards: Citizens Advice highlights its concerns & issues http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2266
(Please send me any items of interest you encounter - Editor)
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++ What You Can Do
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Like any campaign we need funds and people. Any help or expertise of any kind you can spare will be most welcome. Most important is to get other people involved and to understand the issues. ID-CARDS sound innocent: what the government wants is ID-CONTROL. When people know that they (and their children) may be fingerprinted like criminals and will be made to register every change of address with the authorities, their attitude changes. So:-
1. Tell your friends about the campaign and that you are supporting it. Most people are scarcely aware of the government's ID database project, and few understand the dangers. Feel free to redistribute this newsletter to acquaintances. (But please do introduce it personally and don't spam.) Your personal witness will help others understand that this is important.
2. Sign the Petition and get your friends and (adult) family to do so. http://www.no2id-petition.net/
3. Let us know if you have time or special expertise that you can give to the organisation or facilities you can lend us. The campaign is getting bigger, but needs to grow some more. Fast. We urgently need any assistance you can offer. We can use any amount of professional creative and marketing expertise as we begin to lift public awareness of the issues, but it would be handy to have reliable people to answer the phone. Volunteer at: volunteer@no2id.net
4. Get together with others in your area to form a local group. A national campaign needs a national network. Experienced campaigner Guy Taylor (local.groups@no2id.net) is available to help local groups build our nationwide presence. Guy can tell you how to hold a public meeting, set out your stall locally (literally as well as metaphorically), and how to get other people involved. If you have experience of local campaigns then by all means just start -- we will offer what help we can. Details of forthcoming meetings, when we have them, are posted on the website.
5. Raise the issue for discussion in any organisations you belong to. Everyone is affected in some way. Encourage any club, union or other group you are in that opposes ID control to become a supporter or affiliate itself.
6. Write to the local and national press, to express your concerns whenever there is relevant news. Phone-in to appropriate radio and TV programs. There is plenty of information on (and linked to) the website to help you do this.
7. Write to your MP and MEP expressing your disquiet and ask for *their
personal* opinion on specific issues. (Big-party MPs in particular
sometimes avoid controversial matter, or may offer a standard statement
of general party policy rather than answering for themselves.)
FaxYourMP.com is a free and confidential way to get an answer.
8. Buy a T-shirt, and wear it. This publicises the message--people will ask you what it means--and raises funds. Details on the NO2ID website. Or buy online at: http://www.ntkmart.co.uk/ntkmart.cgi#No2ID
or http://www.cashncarrion.co.uk/cnb/shop/cashncarrion?listPos=&op=catalogue-products-null&prodCategory
ID=28
9. Join. Membership starts at GBP15 a year (higher contributions
encouraged, and a modest standing order means a lot to us). It entitles you to a say in the running of NO2ID. There is a membership form on the website at www.no2id.net/content/join.html
10. Give generously. A few weeks back we had no money. Now we have a little money, but we will always need more. The Home Office is planning to spend billions. But we will spend your money better. Funds can be transferred to our HSBC Treasurer Account in the name of NO2ID A/c no: 91339427 Sort Code 40-28-15 You can send a cheque, payable to "NO2ID" to: NO2ID, Box 412, 78 Marylebone High Street, LONDON W1U 5AP. Special donation or sponsorship enquiries should be made to Guy Herbert (general.secretary@no2id.net). Help in kind is equally welcome.
11. Link to us. Help us gather support on through the web by displaying a button or banner (available on the website) on your own home site or blog and linking to us.
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++ NO2ID Who's Who and Resources
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First port of call should be the website:
http://www.no2id.net/
+ If you have specific assistance or information to offer, you can
contact the following NO2ID people:
Chair of the Advisory Board - Simon Davies (chair@no2id.net)
Volunteer Staff:-
National Coordinator - Phil Booth (national.coordinator@no2id.net)
Administration
General Secretary - Guy Herbert (general.secretary@no2id.net) Newsletter Editor - Charles Farrier (newsletter@no2id.net) Production Manager - Katherine Davies (production.manager@no2id.net) Technical Manager - Owen Blacker (technical.manager@no2id.net)
Communications
Head of Campaigns - Andy Robson (campaigns@no2id.net)
Press Officer - Michael Parker (press.officer@no2id.net)
Public Affairs - Dave Walker (public.affairs@no2id.net) Parliamentary Liaison - Rachael Marsh (parliamentary.liaison@no2id.net) Events Manager Cassandra Rae (events@no2id.net)
Development
National Secretary - Adam McGreggor (national.secretary@no2id.net) Local Group Coordinator - Guy Taylor (local.groups@no2id.net) Student Organiser - Nick Pauro (students@no2id.net)
Research
Head of Research - Ian Brown (research@no2id.net)
Regional Coordinators
London - Andrew Weston (london@no2id.net)
Scotland - Trevor Mendham (scotland@no2id.net)
+ Please, please remember that everybody on this list is a volunteer,
and all will be getting a huge amount of email, so you should only direct enquiries to the relevant person. We are grateful for all offers of help, but can't guarantee to have time to give detailed answers to individual general queries on the ID scheme. There is a lot of information on the website and there will soon be much, much more.
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Publication details: (c) NO2ID 2004 - This document may be freely redistributed in one-to-one communications or physical copies as long as it is reproduced in its entirety including this notice. It may not be mass-mailed without the prior permission of NO2ID. NO2ID, Box No.412, 78 Marylebone High Street, LONDON W1U 5AP
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