[no2id-supporters] NO2ID Newsletter No.30

[no2id-supporters-admin at no2id.net]

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NO2ID NEWSLETTER - Supporter's Newsletter No.30 - 13th October 2005

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++ IDENTITY CARDS BILL THIRD (LAST IN HOUSE OF COMMONS) READING IMMINENT ++

The Third Reading of the government's ID Card Bill will take place next week,
on Tuesday 18th October. There will be a limited debate and further
opportunity for MPs to vote on the Bill before it goes to the Lords. At the
last vote on the bill (Second Reading), the government won by just 31 votes.
If all the other parties vote as they did last time, we need to convince just
16 Labour MPs to vote against the bill. NO2ID are busy lobbying and sending
briefings to MPs and constituencies but we need your help too.

We've published a guide to lobbying (available at
http://www.no2id.net/downloads/index.php), prepared for NO2ID by a former
Labour Party MP's office worker. Please use it to write to your MP over the
next few days. Go to http://mps.no2id.net/ to send them a fax - all you need
to enter is your postcode.

+ UNUSUAL VOLUNTEERS REQUEST FOR 3RD READING PHOTO OP

NO2ID want to make a splash in the media next week for the Third Reading of
the ID cards Bill, but we need some hardy souls who wouldn't mind shedding a
few clothes to do it. If you can spare us your lunch hour on the 18th October
and want more details, please send an e-mail to phil at no2id.net or call the
office on 07005 800 651.

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++ WHAT YOU CAN DO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

+ 1. LOBBY/WRITE TO YOUR MP
The NO2ID website has a lobbying tool (http://mps.no2id.net) to help you lobby
your MP. Write or lobby/speak to your MP (in constituency surgeries) and
encourage them to vote against the bill at 3rd Reading next week and to sign
EDM 263 against identity cards now.
Fax Westminster MPs - http://www.faxyourmp.com/
Early Day Motion(EDM) 263
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=28464
NO2ID's Lobbying Guide can be downloaded from
http://www.no2id.net/downloads/index.php

+ 2. WRITE A LETTER TO YOUR LOCAL PAPER
Personal letters to your MP or the local press can be effective persuaders. It
may be worth lobbying affected community groups to write too; remember that
lists can sometimes be obtained from a local library or council office by
enquiring discreetly.

+ 3. SIGN OUR MILLION POUND PLEDGE
Please, if you can, make your pledge at http://www.pledgebank.com/resist or by
texting 'pledge resist' to 60022 [standard text rate].
Pass on or promote this message/link to as many sympathetic people and groups,
mailing lists, bulletin boards and publications as you can *without spamming*.

+ 4. PROMOTE NO2ID'S FLASH ANIMATIONS
Send a link to our comedy flash animation (http://eclectech.co.uk/swizz.php)
and our new ID cards quiz (http://www.no2id.net/IDSchemes/quiz.php) to all of
your friends.

+ 5. HELP US BY JOINING NO2ID / DONATING
Please join NO2ID, if you are not already a paid-up member.
(There's a membership form at http://www.no2id.net/downloads/membForm.pdf)
OR
Donate some money towards campaign expenses.
NO2ID, Box 412, 78 Marylebone High Street, LONDON W1U 5AP

+ 6. GET INVOLVED WITH LOCAL GROUPS
Organise leafleting, a stall or a public meeting to educate the public about
the database that lies behind the proposed ID card scheme.
See http://www.no2id.net/localGroups

* We also maintain a list of things you can do on our website at
http://www.no2id.net/getInvolved/other.php

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++ WHAT'S NEXT?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

+ 18th OCTOBER, ID CARDS BILL THIRD READING

The Report stage and Third Reading debate will take place on the afternoon of
Tuesday 18th October. This is the final vote in the Commons before the Bill
goes to the Lords, so it is really important to speak, write to* or meet your
MP before this date.
*Go to http://mps.no2id.net for a quick and free way to fax your MP - all you
need is your postcode.

+ 13th OCTOBER, NO2ID OXFORD PUBLIC MEETING

Thursday, 13th October, doors open 7pm, starts 7:30pm at The Long Room, Oxford
Town Hall, Oxford City Centre.
Speakers: Ed Vaizey MP, Evan Harris MP, Anna Ellis (database specialist).
For more information contact oxford at no2id.net or see
(http://www.no2id-oxford.org/forum/)

+ 15th OCTOBER, NO2ID STREET STALL, CAMBRIDGE

Saturday, 15th October, NO2ID Cambridge have organised a street stall, outside
the Guildhall, Market Hill, Cambridge from 10am onwards. Contact
cambridge at no2id.net for more details, or just come along.

+ 15th OCTOBER, NO2ID BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC MEETING

Saturday, 15th October 2005, 2.30pm at The Old Royal public house, Church
Street, Birmingham B3 2DP - close to Snowhill station.
Speakers: Richard Shepherd MP, Christopher Gill (Chairman of the Freedom
Association), Ron Dorman of the Campaign Against Euro Federalism (CAEF), plus
one other speaker to be announced.
For more information contact Nick Drew, NO2ID Birmingham at
birmingham at no2id.net

+ 28th OCTOBER, SIMON DAVIES LECTURE, LEEDS

Friday, 28th October 2005 , 12-2pm at Leeds Met Headingley Campus, LS6.
Identity Cards: The Thin End of the Wedge (Part of Together for Peace festival
lead-in)
A lecture by Simon Davies (Director of Privacy International).
For more info see
(http://www.networkleeds.com/index.pl?z=39&s=363&ym=200510&ev=6332)or contact
Steve Wright (s.t.wright at leedsmet.ac.uk).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

++ WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

+ NEW WEBSITE CONTENT

The NO2ID website has had some recent additions. The ID card frequently asked
questions (FAQ) section has been revamped (see
http://www.no2id.net/IDSchemes/FAQ/index.php) and a new NO2ID quiz flash movie
has been added (http://www.no2id.net/IDSchemes/quiz.php).

+ NO2ID AT THE PARTY CONFERENCES

NO2ID made its presence known at all three of the main party conferences, and
several of the minor ones. Our main efforts were focussed on the Labour
conference in Brighton, for obvious reasons. NO2ID protestors managed to avoid
being detained under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act - unlike 82 year old
heckler, Walter Wolfgang! - and Home Office junior minister Andy Burnham
showed up at our fringe meeting.

At the Liberal Democrats conference, in Blackpool, NO2ID announced the
appointment of Matthew Taylor MP as our new Parliamentary Spokesman. After
several rousing speeches - including Simon Hughes', in which he stated he was
"willing to go to prison on several occasions if ever ID cards are brought
in" - the Liberal Democrats voted overwhelmingly to continue their opposition
to the ID Bill.

Conservative conference, again in Blackpool, was dominated by the leadership
race. NO2ID was encouraged that all but one of the declared candidates is
opposed to the government's ID plans - and even Kenneth Clarke doesn't like
'compulsory to carry' ID cards (like we'll have a choice). David Davis and
David Cameron both expressed vehement public opposition and Mr Davis,
currently Shadow Home Secretary, has promised that a future Conservative
government would repeal the legislation and drop the ID scheme.

Tory delegates and MPs were noticeably more hostile to ID cards than last
year, and many are supportive of NO2ID's non-partisan campaign. Keep watching
for an announcement on another Parliamentary Spokesperson...

+ HUNT THE MINISTER - LOCAL GROUPS SUCCESS

NO2ID supporters have had continued success over the last couple of weeks
tracking down junior minister Andy Burnham and the Home Office's 'secret'
biometrics roadshow. In Bristol NO2ID supporters featured in local BBC news
programme 'Points West', which described local coordinator Dave Gould's
questioning of Burnham as doing "a Jeremy Paxman on the minister". More
details can be found on our discussion forum
(http://www.no2id.net/phpBB/index.php).

+ NO2ID KENSINGTON & CHELSEA PUBLIC MEETING

On Monday NO2ID Kensington and Chelsea held a well attended meeting in
Kensington. Speakers included Harry Phibbs, Jonathan Fryer, Gerard Batten MEP
and NO2ID General Secretary Guy Herbert. Gerard Batten MEP has launched a new,
very readable pamphlet: 'Identity Cards - The Creation of a Police State'

+ NO2ID HAMMESRSMITH & FULHAM MAILSHOT

NO2ID Hammersmith & Fulham have mailshot over 60 community groups with a
request to lobby local Labour MP Andy Slaughter to at least abstain at the
Third Reading. The letter drew attention to the pressure on funding
local groups and public services generally. The local website,
www.no2id-handf.org.uk has a ballpark calculation of the medium term cost to
one London borough - over £50 million.

+ BRIGHTON UNIVERSITY NO2ID MEETING

Over 200 people attended an ID Card meeting at the University of Brighton on
Monday. The meeting was organised by the University's Philosophy Society and
was addressed by NO2ID's Phil Booth, MI5 'whistleblower' David Shayler and
university philosophy lecturer Tom Hickey. A NO2ID group at the University of
Brighton was formed after the meeting. The meeting was recorded and the audio
will be posted on the NO2ID website soon.

+ OXFORD CITY COUNCIL REAFFIRM ID PROTEST

Last week Oxford City Council passed an anti-ID card motion with 31 votes in
favour and 5 against. The motion echoed the sentiments of the Oxfordshire
county council motion, that was passed last month, calling on the city council
not to require production of an ID card for council services. The NO2ID Oxford
chairman and a local councillor were recently barcoded and photographed next
to George Orwell's grave for a local paper to publicise NO2ID's public
meeting, which will be held in Oxford this evening (13th October).

+ NO2ID REFUSE PLEDGE CLOSES

Our 'Refuse' pledge closed this week with 11,369 names - 1369 over target.
Should the ID cards bill become law then we will have raised over £11,000
towards a legal fighting fund for those that refuse to register for the
scheme. Our 'Resist' pledge is still open and we will be launching another
pledge soon.

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++ "ID" In the News
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ Leak reveals Whitehall plans for data shareout
Councils, Whitehall departments and firms running public services will
routinely share personal data about citizens by 2010, according to leaked
documents seen by the Guardian. The plans, drawn up by the Cabinet Office,
could cause anger among privacy campaigners. The documents suggest that
identity cards, expected to be issued from 2008, will play a big role in data
sharing.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1590710,00.html

+ ID card spending reaches £20.6m
The government has revealed fresh details of the levels of spending on its
controversial identity cards project so far. In preparation for the project,
it spent £19m between the start of the 2003 financial year and the end of June
2005. A further £1.6m has been spent on trials.
http://tinyurl.co.uk/qy56

+  Cheaper identity card for the poor ruled out by Treasury mandarins
A row has erupted between the Home Office and the Treasury over plans for a
new cut-price version of identity cards aimed at helping the less well-off.
http://tinyurl.co.uk/x07r

+ Business support for ID cards collapses
Only 45 per cent of company directors now believe the introduction of ID cards
would make British cities safer from terrorist attack and just 26 per cent
think they would benefit their business. The same number of directors believe
the death sentence for terrorist killers would make us safer.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/12/biz_leaders_dislike_id_cards/

+  Farewell to freedom
Work is going ahead on an identity card scheme in anticipation of
parliamentary ratification. Many are relaxed about the aggrandisement of state
power, believing that "if you've nothing to hide, you've nothing to fear". In
reality, though, innocence is no defence: barely a week goes by without our
printing the story of an honest citizen who has been caught up by the bungling
of some state bureaucracy. Inch by inch, this administration is turning
Britain into a very different kind of country. That we should be letting it
happen without a murmur says little good about us.
http://tinyurl.co.uk/2lkt

+ Biometrics not ready for prime time, says Europe
The European Commission has unveiled a website which it hopes will speed up
the creation of consistent policies for using biometric technologies - and
help protect privacy. In a statement, the EC said: "Key issues of security,
privacy, interoperability of systems and applications, performance,
scalability, and data control, remain to be addressed."
http://tinyurl.co.uk/2w0a

+ Obsessed with rights, blind to liberty
The Government passes the Data Protection Act - supposedly to give us new
rights to privacy - while it simultaneously lays the groundwork for compulsory
ID cards, which would be the most intrusive peace-time legislation ever
enacted, and would require all of us to submit unique biometric data to the
state.
http://tinyurl.co.uk/ffko

+ Biggest British firms could make ID cards compulsory for staff
An Identity card could become a prerequisite to being hired by many of
Britain's biggest employers, in a move that would undermine the supposedly
voluntary nature of the controversial scheme. Thirty of Britain's largest
companies are in talks with the government about making the possession of ID
cards - likely to cost at least £100 each - a central part of their employment
practices.
http://business.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1985382005

+ NO2ID catches up with Home Office roadshow
Those pesky activists at NO2ID have been at it again: showing up at the
government's biometrics charm-offensive road shows and asking difficult
questions. This protest was caught on camera by the BBC, and subsequently
aired on the local news.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/28/no2id_catches_home_office/

+ HOLLAND : 50,000 ID fines in 9 months
Since the introduction of compulsory identification in the Netherlands on
January 1st 2005, the police have fined 50,000 people that could or would not
present a valid ID. Almost 4.000 of those who were fined were children aged 14
and 15.
http://www.edri.org/edrigram/number3.20/ID

+ Biometric ATMs get chilly reception in U.S.
Colombia is one of the few places in the world where banks are using
fingerprint biometrics, which verify people's identities based on their unique
physical characteristics. Scanning fingerprints or irises to verify an ATM
customer's identity has yet to penetrate the U.S. banking market because of
concerns about expense and privacy.
http://tinyurl.co.uk/h965

(Please send me any items of interest you encounter -
Editor(newsletter at no2id.net) )
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NO2ID, Box No.412, 78 Marylebone High Street, LONDON W1U 5AP