[no2id-supporters] NO2ID Newsletter No 7

Tue Oct 26 14:54:16 BST 2004

NO2ID NEWSLETTER -  Supporter's Newsletter  No.7 - 25th October 2004
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+++ Stop ID-cards and the database state

This is the latest email newsletter to keep you informed about the
campaign against the Home Office's plans to fingerprint and track the
entire population of Britain for its National Identity Register. As soon
as practicable the NO2ID Newsletter will also be produced in printed form
to let us reach people without email. Meanwhile, if you want to forward
this email to friends or print and distribute hard copies, then we have no
objections.

You've been sent this (if you are a first hand recipient) because we
believe you registered as a supporter of the campaign. If not, or if you
just don't want the newsletter, let us know and please accept our
apologies. We don't want to spam anyone.

(Equally, if you were a supporter in the past, but have now decided that
you do want yourself and your family to be tagged like cattle at huge and
unnecessary expense, please let us know.)

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++  A Change of Pace
--------------------

+ Why the Hustle Mr Blunkett?

While we are still waiting for a clear explanation of the government's
actual reasons for pursuing ID-control (given that none of the pretexts
offered  really makes much sense), the Home Office is appointing a
spin-doctor for the scheme. Astonishingly, it appears to be about to spend
public money lobbying parliament. Having evaded any public discussion so
far, it is gearing up to sell the scheme to the public after the
legislation.

We hope parliament does have a say.  It would be nice if the people did
too.  Even those who think the nationalisation of identity is a good thing
must agree it is an important issue, not an administrative detail. NO2ID
is calling for a proper national debate on this profound change in British
life.

Contact your MP and ask them what they think about parliament being hustled
and presumed upon like this.  You can do this without rising from your
keyboard by using the free FaxyourMP.com service. So do it now.

+ ESF results

Welcome to those of you who became registered supporters or members of
NO2ID at the European Social Forum on the weekend of the 15th/17th
October. And thank-you to all those volunteers who helped make our
presence over 3 days such a success.

Mark Littlewood, Neil Gerrard MP and Hajaz Akram (actor-impresario of the
Bloody Balti Political Theatre Company) spoke to a packed meeting "The War
on Civil Liberties", and several people became paid-up members on the spot.
The meeting saw ID cards as part of a general attack on privacy/freedom,
and as ever, no one could cast much light on government's "real agenda".
Neil emphasised that building a strong campaign outside parliament is an
effective way to influence MPs. And though the ESF is explicitly an
"alternative" event, there was strong support for a broad campaign
including left, right and centre.

Over 500 people signed their individual support at ESF (some of them, sad
to say, illegibly), and many more got the message, donned our badges, and
took our leaflets with interest. It was particularly gratifying to speak to
people from different European countries who may have had ID-cards all
their lives but were intrigued, even enthused, by the idea of NOT having
to put up with them.

+ AGM
NO2ID held its first Annual General Meeting on Saturday 9th October. The
organisation now has a Constitution endorsed by, and a governing body
elected directly by, members.

The Advisory Board members are:
- Chair - Simon Davis.
President of Privacy International, and a visiting professor at the LSE,
Simon was a prime mover of the successful campaign against the Australian
ID card.
- Deputy Chair - Debbie Chay.
Debbie is chair of Charter 88, the 80,000-strong constitutional reform
movement.
- Weymann Bennett,
Joint secretary of Unite Against Fascism and an activist in many socialist
and anti-racist causes.
- Mark Dziecielewski,
Security technology consultant and founder of the Watching Them, Watching
Us privacy campaign.
- James Cronin,
Web commerce pioneer and a founder of Stand, involved with FaxYourMP.com
and other attempts to make the web a tool of democratic pluralism.

The board at once confirmed the appointment of  Mark Littlewood as
National Coordinator.

+ New Merchandise/Publicity Materials
Limited edition T-shirts we produced for the Labour Conference "Labour's
[Poll] Identity Tax" are now available online and selling well. Visit The
Register or NTK for credit-card orders.

We also have nice bright window-stickers: "Stop ID-Cards and the database
state" -- an ideal gift for anyone with a car or house with windows. Send
a LARGE (at least 25cm/10") sae with a donation to the usual address.

+ Least convincing pro-ID argument of the week
Real people say often quite breathtaking things to NO2ID volunteers. We
couldn't make them up.  Said by an unknown person to Mark Littlewood at
the ESF:  "I'm all in favour of it.  It'll help keep the coons out."
It seems the government's subtle appeal to racism through talk of
"entitlement" and "belonging" does strike a chord with some. Though in
no way do we endorse his objective, if we ever bump into this gentleman
again we will suggest that he'd be better off with a large fence and a
colour-chart, not a small plastic card linked to all-encompassing and
astronomically expensive IT.

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++ What Just Happened?
-------------------

+ Biometric Mess
Home Office trails for the biometric passport do not appear to be going all
that well. The BBC reports facial recognition technology has a 10% failure
rate for verification (i.e. matching a person and a face scan known to be
genuine). This would mean delays and extra searches for millions, if
passport control were to rely upon it. Fiona McTaggart MP interviewed on
Radio 4's Today said that biometrics in Passports are "partly for the
benefit of British travellers"-we take it she means Passports will comply
with international standards, which is what she then went on about.  But
"partly" - what are the other reasons?

+ Database Mess
Meanwhile, the head of e-Government at the Cabinet Office has also been
giving interviews to the BBC.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3739684.stm
'For many the ID card itself is not as worrying as the database that the
government wants to create to hold information about individuals and
possibly be accessed by a variety of government agencies.
But that is not currently on Mr Watmore's radar.
"It is technologically impossible and is not today's big worry. Plans for
how we share information is in the early days," he said. [sic]'
This is very mysterious, since it is hardly a matter of high technology to
give everyone an unique identifying number that can be used as a
cross-reference (even if ensuring the databases are all consistent is
difficult).  Nor is letting many agencies access the NIR, whatever the
civil liberties and security objections.

+ Letter writing works.
The Daily Telegraph printed Phil Booth's response on behalf of NO2ID to
their report that Blunkett is jumping the gun on ID cards.  "If 80% of the
country are supposed to be in favour of ID cards then why does the Home
Office so urgently need a department specifically devoted to selling the
idea? And if there is nothing to hide about the scheme, then what is it
that Mr Blunkett fears?"

We can get our arguments to the public, but we have to try and out-argue
the government's spin machine.  Our arguments are the better ones but will
only prevail if they are heard.  So take up your own pen.  Write to your
MP, the press, your church, mosque, or temple -- whoever you are in a
position to influence.

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++ What's Next?
------------
+ Building Local Groups
Now that we have approaching 1000 registered supporters, we have enough
people to set up NO2ID branches in all parts of the country. If you and
your friends want to set up a branch, then let us know, and we will try
and put you in touch with others in your area.  The best way to start is
by holding a public meeting.  Guy Taylor (guy at no2id.net) can advise you
how to go about it.

+ Scotland - MSPs
NO2ID Scotland is going to be writing soon to every Member of the Scottish
Parliament about ID cards and the centralisation of power in Whitehall. If
you are in Scotland and can contact your MSP too, that will help.

+ House of Commons - Early Day Motion
Our old friend Neil Gerrard MP is to table an Early Day Motion in the
House of Commons.  This is a convention that allows MPs officially to
declare their opinion on a matter.  We believe it will have all-party
support. And if members know about their constituents' concerns, it will
help.  Ask your MP to sign it.

It is EDM No. 1780: IDENTITY CARDS "That this House believes that a
convincing case for the introduction of identity cards and a national
database has not been made, that they have no discernible benefit, that
the introduction of identity cards will fundamentally change the
relationship between the citizen and the state, diminish personal privacy
and threaten civil liberties, and that identity cards are a solution in
search of a problem; and calls upon the Government to abandon any plans
for their introduction."

+ Letter campaign and call for debate
In the next week NO2ID Supporters in all parts of the country will be
putting their names to letters to 400 local newspapers to try and alert
the non-political public to the danger of the database state.

We are shortly to launch an e-petition to the Government asking them not to
hustle through enabling legislation for ID-control, but to postpone plans
until they are clearly defined and there can be a full national debate on
them.  The Cabinet Office rules mean the government will answer this. They
will have to explain why no proper debate.  The closing date for the
petition will be 19th November.

+ Children Bill
The data-sharing provisions of the Children Bill will shortly be back
before.  These would enable a "junior NIR" containing details of every
child in the land, (amongst other things) where they live, who with, and
where they go to school.  The Government calls this "child protection".
We call it a valuable central resource for kidnappers and abusers.  And in
60 years almost everyone alive will have a record on that database too.
The organisation ARCh, a NO2ID supporter, is running a campaign against
this.  See http://www.arch-ed.org/

+ **STOP PRESS** Blunkett faces his critics
According to the PM's press conference on Monday October 25th
http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page6516.asp
David Blunkett will be publishing a detailed response to the Home Affairs
Select Committee report on ID cards, and "will set out how we will take
forward some of the issues raised by the consultation over the draft Bill".
We shall be interested in seeing whether the questions are actually
answered or evaded. The burden of proof remains on the Home Office.

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++  "ID" In The News
---------------------

+  ID cards "a political ploy" to get the database?
A very good question from Silicon.com's Devil's Advocate
http://comment.silicon.com/0,39024711,39125057,00.htm
"Now suppose the real goal is the database and the ID cards merely a
political ploy to justify the cost of a huge IT project that would never
be accepted on its own merits. Then we would need to ask about the real
reasons for building an all-embracing database of personal information."

+  Mark Oaten  "very confident" ID cards bill will be defeated
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3634476
"My main objective, before the general election, with colleagues in the
Lords, is to defeat the ID cards bill. Iit is an illiberal measure, it
attacks the civil liberties we stand for."

+  EU Experts concerned with premature introduction of biometric
identifiers
http://europa.eu.int/ida/en/document/3385/194
'Julian Ashbourn, who has advised the UK, US and Japanese governments on
biometric technologies, warned that certain false assumptions were being
made regarding the possibility of accurately identifying people through
biometrics. "History will show", Mr Ashbourn said, "that certain
assumptions involving biometrics will prove to be ill-founded."'

+ Government hires agents to plug ID cards
http://www.contractoruk.com/news/001759.html
Meanwhile Messrs Blair and Blunkett appear not to be troubled by doubts.
And it is not the only hustle in progress...

+ IBM tipped to pilot eBorders - Computing
http://www.computing.co.uk/news/1158882
"The deal, called Semaphore and estimated to be worth around £10m, could
be signed as early as the end of this week."
That's just the pilot.  SpyBlog commented: "So why has the similar US-VISIT
system cost over $300 million in the first year, and the estimated value of
the contract to Accenture is over $10 billion and possibly $20 billion..."
And it is in addition to the internal ID-control scheme.

(Please send me any items of interest you encounter - Editor)
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++ What You Can Do
-------------------

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. Let us know if you have time or special expertise that you can give to
the organisation, even if only a couple of hours a week.  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.

3. Get together with others in your area to form a local group.  A national
campaign needs a national network.  Guy Taylor (guy at no2id.net) can give you
advice on how to do this.  Details of forthcoming meetings, when we have
them, are posted on the website.

4. 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.

5. Write to your MP and MEP expressing your disquiet and ask for _their
personal opinion_. (Big-party MPs in particular sometimes avoid
controversial issues, or may pass on your letter to the Home Office rather
than answering for themselves.) Let us know what they say. FaxYourMP.com
is a free and confidential way to do it.

6. 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/?listPos=&op=catalogue-products-null?
CategoryID=28

7. 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

8.  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 Phil Booth
(phil at no2id.net). Help in kind is equally welcome.

9.  Link to us.  Help us gather support on through the internet by
displaying a button or banner (available on the website) and linking to us.

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++ NO2ID Who's Who and Resources
-----------------------------
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:

National Coordinator - Mark Littlewood  (mark at no2id.net)
National Secretary - Adam McGreggor  (adam at no2id.net)
Treasurer/Fundraiser - Phil Booth (phil at no2id.net)
Marketing/Communications - Andy Robson (andy at no2id.net)
Newsletter Editor - Guy Herbert (newsletter at no2id.net)
Public Affairs and Parliamentary Liaison - Dave Walker (dave at no2id.net)
Local Group Coordinator - Guy Taylor (guy at no2id.net)
Technical Manager - Owen Blacker (owen at no2id.net)

+ Please, please remember that everybody on this list will be getting a
huge amount of email, so you should only direct enquiries to the relevant
person.  We are grateful for all specific offers of help, but can't give
detailed answers to individual general queries.  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