NO2ID News No. 94
27 March 2008
NO2ID SALUTES CAMPAIGN HEROES
We should like to take this opportunity to thank all those people
on our mailing list who are the unsung heroes and heroines of NO2ID:
all those people you may not know by name, but who work for a local
group, volunteer in the office, or spread the word some other way - and
everyone who gives money regularly to allow us to keep up our lobbying,
briefing, public education and media work.
Without the latter, few people would have heard of NO2ID as we wouldn't
be able to print materials, post letters, take out advertisements or
hold events. So a big thanks to the invisible heroes who give regularly
- our 1,200+ members, and the few hundred who give by a monthly
standing order. There are over 12,000 supporters who receive this
newsletter - if a few more of you could spare even a small amount it
would make a big difference.
Standing order details are here: http://www.no2id.net/downloads/membForm.pdf
The battle against the database state is intensifying with new fronts
opening on an almost monthly basis. If you receive this newsletter we
assume that you value your privacy - what price freedom?
MAYORAL HUSTINGS EVENT
Our biggest event so far this year will be the London Mayoral hustings.
Most candidates will be there, and we have cameras coming too. We want
volunteers as stewards on the night. This means two evenings - a short
meeting on Monday 7th April to run through the arrangements and then a
full evening from 6:15pm on Tuesday 8th April. It is potentially a big
media event - all London residents from the EU and Commonwealth can
vote too. If you live or work in London then please tell your friends
and colleagues and/or bring them with you - we want to fill the hall!
It is free and open to all. Volunteers should contact Matty at
local.groups@no2id.net
What's next?
8th April - NO2ID LONDON MAYORAL HUSTINGS
Tuesday, 8th April 7pm at Friends House, 173 Euston Road NW1 2BJ.
Prospective candidates Gerard Batten (UKIP), Si?n Berry (Green),
Lindsey German (Respect / The Left List), Boris Johnson (Conservative),
and Brian Paddick (Liberal Democrat) have indicated interest in participating already.
25th April - Comedy Event, Kilburn
Friday, 25th April 8pm at The Cock Tavern, Kilburn - "The Reality Show"
being a panel game on conspiracy theories and fact - can the teams tell the difference? - chaired by long-time friend of the NO2ID campaign,
stand-up Ben Norris. Tickets £10 from Ticketweb. This is not really a
NO2ID event, but Robbie Williams has kindly autographed a T-shirt and
some ladies underwear, which are to be auctioned, on the night with the
proceeds of the auction going to NO2ID, and Guy Herbert will go along
on our behalf to accept the money, and maybe answer a few questions
himself.
+ LOCAL GROUPS NEWS +
We now have local groups in 44 of the 69 proposed locations for
interrogation centres - of which just 3 have yet to open. Parliamentary
answers indicate that the most active centres are: Belfast, Birmingham,
Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Newport,
Peterborough and Sheffield.
As of the end of January 2008, 22 of the centres had performed fewer
than 10 interrogations. There may still be time to apply for your first
adult passport without being called in for an official grilling - but,
if you are, your details still won't be going onto the National
Identity Register. It isn't built yet.
For information on your nearest interrogation centre, see
www.no2id.net/getInvolved/idCentres.php. If you can help set up a local group in one of the remaining locations, or anywhere else in the UK, please contact Matty on local.groups@no2id.net
+ South West and South Wales Regional Meeting +
There will be a South West and South Wales regional meeting for local
groups in the region in late April. Location and details to be
confirmed.
+ Birmingham +
31st March - Birmingham NO2ID Meeting
Monday, 31st March 7.30pm at the Mac (Midlands Arts Centre). All welcome to attend.
+ Cambridge +
29th March - NO2ID Cambridge Stall
Saturday, 29th March at 10am in the usual spot outside Cambridge
Guildhall. Location Map: http://tinyurl.com/eo42r. As ever, volunteers
to help very welcome - please email
cambridge@no2id.net, or text/call
Andrew on 07710 469624 if you can make it.
2nd April - Cambridge NO2ID pub meeting CANCELLED
The Cambridge NO2ID pub meeting on 2nd April has been cancelled. The next pub meeting will be on Wednesday 7th May.
Saturday 3rd May - Cambridge NO2ID benefit gig
Cambridge NO2ID will be holding a benefit gig on Saturday 3rd May from
8pm, at The Locomotive, 44 Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 2AS. The line-up:
Mousse - The Grisettes - Allotment. Admission £4 - proceeds go to
support NO2ID's London HQ. Many thanks to the bands for contributing
their time and talents:
http://tinyurl.com/28da7v
http://tinyurl.com/2z6z4n http://tinyurl.com/yv6cwl
+ Dorking +
We had our first street stall on Good Friday and collected over 150
signatures in about 5 hours. We plan to organise many more and not just
on Dorking High Street. Next month we will be lobbying all councillors
up for (re)election, then when the new council is decided we will push
for a motion of non-cooperation with the government's ID scheme.
+ Edinburgh +
Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh street stall
Every week, weather permitting, you will find our campaigning stall at
the east end of Princes Street, opposite the Balmoral Hotel. Do drop by
for a chat. New volunteers - please contact John(
edinburgh@no2id.net),
and for more group information see
http://www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/
+ Glasgow +
1st April - Glasgow NO2ID Meeting
Tuesday, 1st April 8pm in Mono. Glasgow's NO2ID meetings are held on
the first Tuesday of every month. All welcome! Map:
www.glasgow-no2id.org.uk/meeting.html
Most Saturdays 2pm - NO2ID Glasgow Street Stall
Most Saturdays there are stalls in Glasgow city centre (usually
Buchanan Street) from about 2pm. Volunteers are always welcome, please
contact Geraint if you would like to help:
glasgow@no2id.net
+ Hackney +
2nd April - Hackney NO2ID Meeting
Wednesday, 2nd April 7pm at the Pembury Tavern as usual, for around an
hour-and-a-half. If you have any ideas for activities, come to the
meeting (or email
hackney@no2id.net, if you can't make it).
+ Liverpool +
28th March - North West NO2ID Meeting, Liverpool
Friday, 28th March 7pm at Liverpool Lime Street Station in Coopers,
which is by the cash points (right of the main departure boards). A
number of North-West NO2ID supporters will be meeting for drinks, chat
and planning. National co-ordinator Phil Booth will be there, along
with Liverpool co-ordinator Kev Beaumont and Manchester co-ordinator
Dave
Page. If you fancy getting more involved, or just meeting people and having a pleasant evening in the pub, do come along.
+ Manchester +
Manchester Students Against ID has relaunched for the 2008/2009
academic year, and pledges to bring the fight against the Database
State to the highest levels of Manchester University. Meetings to be
announced, see
http://manchester.no2id.net/students for details.
12th April - Manchester NO2ID Street Stall
Saturday, 12th April 2pm-4pm in St. Ann's Square. We'll be running a
Saturday afternoon stall to raise awareness among the public and engage
people in discussion about the National Identity Register. We'll meet
in the square itself at 2pm to set up shop; feel free to join us to
lend a hand or just chat. You don't need any experience or equipment,
just a bit of time to spare and a friendly smile!
+ Oxford +
29th March - Oxford NO2ID Street Stall
Saturday, 29th March, meeting at 1pm at St Michael's tower on
Cornmarket to set up the stall somewhere nearby for a couple of hours.
Can you spare us an hour or so to hand out leaflets, talk to people or
in other ways help out? Contact
oxford@no2id.net for more information.
+ Redbridge +
31st March - Redbridge NO2ID Planning Meeting
Monday, 31st March 7.30pm at Ilford Town Hall, ground floor meeting
room. The meeting is to plan future events for the Redbridge NO2ID
campaign. One of the main proposals is a showing of the film 'Taking
Liberties'. Any other ideas will be most welcome. For further details
of the meeting or to discuss the campaign please feel free to contact
Paul Kaufman at
redbridge@no2id.net or call 07801 429782.
+ Southampton +
Southampton City Council pass anti-ID motion
Last Wednesday (19th March) Southampton City Council passed a motion
against the government's ID scheme. The motion stated: "That the
National Identity Register (NIR) database that underpins the ID Card
scheme may facilitate identity fraud, and the potential state abuse of
human rights". The motion came about as a result of a mail-out sent to
all councillors.
2nd April Southampton NO2ID Meeting
Wednesday, 2nd April at 8:00pm at the Dolphin pub in St Denys, Southampton
+ Southwark +
Southwark NO2ID will be attending the following events to distribute
NO2ID material, collect signatures for our petition and hand out copies
of the NO2ID Pledge:
18th April - The Synergy Project, in the SEOne Club
Friday, 18th April, The Synergy Project, in the SEOne Club London
Bridge, Weston Street, SE1, starting at 10pm and finishing at 8am.
More details available at : www.thesynergyproject.org where you can
view the event programme.
19th April - Morning Star Conference ?Globalisation: The Fightback?
Saturday, 19th April, Morning Star Conference ?Globalisation: The
Fightback?. To be held at Mander Hall, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place,
London WC1H 9BD. Registration takes place at 9.30am, and the event
begins at 10am prompt. Mabledon Place is almost opposite the British
Library and the nearest tube will be either Euston, Kings Cross or St.
Pancras. Early arrival is advisable as the hall takes only 250 people.
Morning and afternoon plenary sessions and workshops. Conference
supported by the Fire Brigades Union, The Prison Officers Association,
Unite (T&G) and Unite (Amicus).
26th April - Campaign for an English Parliament ?The future of England?
Saturday, 26th April, 10.30am to 4.30pm. Campaign for an English
Parliament ?The future of England?, an open one day conference on the
future of England post devolution. Speakers include Frank Field MP,
Simon Lee, Senior Lecturer, Hull University. The event will be held at
Conway Hall, 25, Red Lion Square, WC1. Nearest tube : Holborn. More
details in the next newsletter.
+ Staines +
6th April - 1st Meeting of NO2ID Staines
Sunday, 6th April 3pm at the OAKS public house - located down the
Feltham Road, just under 1 mile from Ashford town centre. All welcome
contact
staines@no2id.net for more information
What just happened?
BCS Data Guardianship Survey - shows lack of trust in government databases
The British Computer Society has published a survey looking at
people#'s trust in the UK government in relation to data and data
sharing. Their findings are quite interesting - of the 1,025 people
surveyed two-thirds "reported that there has been a decrease in their
level of trust in established institutions, such as Government
departments, to correctly manage their data"; 71% indicated "that it is
very important to them to be asked for their consent if other
organisations or Government departments want to have access to their
data that was originally collected for another purpose, and a further
16% cited this as quite important"; and two-thirds "claimed that it is
very important to them to be told the names of which organisations or
Government departments hold what kind of information about them".
Read the report at:
http://www.bcs.org/upload/pdf/dgs2008.pdf
Home Affairs Committee, the Surveillance society and open emails
Staff working on the Home Affairs Committee's 'A Surveillance
Society?' inquiry last week got first hand experience of the privacy
risks inherent in sending unchecked emails. An announcement of the
final evidence session was sent to various interested parties, but
unfortunately they forgot to hide the email addresses of fellow
recipients and so everyone that got the email had their email address
exposed to the entire send list. Oops - perhaps they'll launch an
inquiry into the conduct of the inquiry. Meanwhile the evidence session
went ahead and can be viewed at
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/VideoPlayer.aspx?meetingId=1362
"Avoid Heathrow" - NO2ID Expats advise
Travellers should avoid using Heathrow until the airport abandons its
plans for the mass fingerprinting of passengers. That is the advice
from the NO2ID Expats? group. "Other hubs, whether in the UK or in
other EU countries, should be preferred for the time being," the group
says in a press release. Heathrow wants to fingerprint and photograph
both domestic passengers and international travellers with onward
connections to other British or Irish airports. But on 26 March,
following a warning from the Information Commissioner?s Office that the
measure may be illegal, the fingerprinting was suspended.
The photographing or "biometric capture" of passengers is going ahead.
Those who refuse will be denied access to their flights. On its
website, BAA states that the measure is "required by the Department for
Transport". But when a NO2ID expat member asked the DfT about this, the
reply was: "This is a border and immigration issue [Border &
Immigration Agency] and may I suggest you contact them with your
query". He did so. In response, the BIA sent him, presumably by
mistake, an e-mail chain revealing interdepartmental chaos. It includes
the following view from HM Inspector, BIA: "This is certainly not a BIA
issue". The biometric checks are, the inspector argues, "for domestic
flights which is most certainly a DfT and/or BAA issue around how they
have set up Terminal 5". The enquirer turned to BAA. To date, no reply
has been received.
For more details visit the NO2ID Expats website at
http://no2id-expats.chown.ch
"ID" in the news
+ Heathrow Terminal 5 fingerprint plans 'illegal' - The Telegraph 27/3/08 +
Plans to fingerprint millions of passengers a year at Heathrow's new
fifth terminal have been put on hold hours before it opens for business
tomorrow. BAA, the airport operator, took the decision after being
warned by the Government's Information Commissioner that the move could
breach the Data Protection Act.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/26/nheathrow226.xml
+ BAA grounds Heathrow T5 fingerprinting system - The Register 26/3/08 +
BAA has been forced to suspend plans to fingerprint domestic travellers
at the new Heathrow Terminal 5 after confusion over the legality of the
scheme. The suspension of the plan - based around a multi-million
biometric system - comes just hours before the building opens to the
public tomorrow.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/26/bba_fingerprinting_/
+ Awed fraudsters defeated by UK's passport interviews - The Register 25/3/08 +
Interviews for first time passport applicants have been massively
successful - because, er, no fraudulent applications at all have been
detected since the government introduced the system last May.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/25/passport_fraud_detections/
+ ICO queries Heathrow T5's huge fingerprint scam scan - The Register 24/3/08 +
The government, the British Airports Authority and the Information
Commissioner's Office are arguing over fingerprinting at Heathrow's new
Terminal 5, which is due to open on Thursday. T5 is to use a 'count
them all in, count them all out' biometric system to log entry and exit
to the departure lounge, but the ICO thinks the move may breach the
Data Protection Act, and has demanded an explanation from BAA.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/24/ico_queries_t5_fingerprinting/
+ Airport workers unite against ID cards - The Inquirer 19/3/08 +
Airport workers union, Unite is meeting with Home Office officials
today to say that they will oppose the imposition of identity cards on
its members.
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/03/18/airport-workers-unite-against
+ MI5 seeks powers to trawl records in new terror hunt - The Observer 16/3/08 +
Counter-terrorism experts call it a 'force multiplier': an attack
combining slaughter and electronic chaos. Now Britain's security
services want total access to commuters' travel records to help them
meet the threat. Millions of commuters could have their private
movements around cities secretly monitored under new counter-terrorism
powers being sought by the security services.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/mar/16/uksecurity.terrorism
+ 'Lax standards' on data security - BBC News Online 14/3/08 +
The government has persistently failed to take data protection
"sufficiently seriously," the Joint Committee on Human Rights has
warned.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7295467.stm
(Please send me any items of interest you encounter - Editor(
newsletter@no2id.net)
)
Publication details: © NO2ID 2013 - 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.
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