National ID Card Petition

[Robyn]

Hello everyone,

A little reminder for those who have been advertising this issue:

We now have less than 7 days to get people to join the petition.

Could I ask that people post a reminder on various forums and notice boards to grab the attention of anyone who has not yet signed and to thank all those who have.

Typically most people are saying that they do not want to sign because the believe that the ID Cards will fail and not happen. Please ask them to consider that this isn't about supporting the ID Cards, it is about ensuring that our rights are not violated.

Thank you,
Robyn

[Alison]

Typically most people are saying that they do not want to sign because the believe that the ID Cards will fail and not happen. Please ask them to consider that this isn't about supporting the ID Cards, it is about ensuring that our rights are not violated.

and we should also remember that the legislation to introduce ID Cards is already in place. It was enacted in 2006. All the arguing about now is the fine detail.

Alison

[Pollik]

All the arguing about now is the fine detail.

There seems to be a widespread feeling that ID cards will be scrapped "when" the conservatives win the next election. This comes from the conservative camp as well as much as anywhere else, so I can understand the notion of not being seen to implicitly support them. Whether this is the best course is a moot point, but what Robyn reports matches the feedback that I have seen.

[Mercia]

All the arguing about now is the fine detail.

There seems to be a widespread feeling that ID cards will be scrapped "when" the conservatives win the next election. This comes from the conservative camp as well as much as anywhere else, so I can understand the notion of not being seen to implicitly support them. Whether this is the best course is a moot point, but what Robyn reports matches the feedback that I have seen.

This point was made to me recently at the Man Uni LGBT Society (actually at the protest against Student Direct), my immediate response was

Anything can happen in politics, remember John Major got elected.

John Major's election surprised even the Tory press, with one tabloid having an early edition front page given over to a photo of Neil Kinnock and having to hurriedly change it when it became apparent that the government had been re-elected.

[Robyn]

Hi Mercia,

Life has taught me never to accept anything until I actually have got hold of it, and even then people will try to take it away from you.

So as we all seem to agree, the message has to be to those who believe that the ID Cards will be scrapped:

They ain't yet!

Until they are, we must all ensure that our interests are taken into account and the privacy of everyone is not breached or put at risk.

Yours,
Robyn

[Alison]

John Major's election surprised even the Tory press, with one tabloid having an early edition front page given over to a photo of Neil Kinnock and having to hurriedly change it when it became apparent that the government had been re-elected.

I remember our absolute certainty on that date (I was politically campaigning at the time) that we were going to see a Labour government ... and we know the history. That is why we must not take for granted that the ID Scheme will be scrapped.

No matter how foolish and ill conceived, until the legislation is repealed, we need to do everything we can.

Alison