[no2id-supporters] NO2ID Newsletter 34

Thu Dec 8 17:27:16 GMT 2005

NO2ID NEWSLETTER
Supporter's Newsletter No.34 - 8th December 2005
===========================================

++ Celebrity Appeal

With the government pushing ahead with its dangerous ID card scheme, NO2ID
are looking at all opportunities to increase public awareness. Several
nationally-recognised figures have recently expressed their opposition to
compulsory ID cards, and the media can regard celebrities as highly
newsworthy. Just imagine the headlines if a whole group of them expressed
their opposition all at the same time...

There are four things that you can do to help us:

1. Some of you may be closely acquainted with a nationally-recognised
figure - maybe as a relative or a neighbour. If know them to be on our side,
please ask them tactfully to contact NO2ID direct to offer their public
support (please get them to call Phil Booth on 07974 230 839 or Michael
Parker on 07773 376 166 or to e-mail office at no2id.net). Please note that we
respect their privacy as much as we do yours, and are NOT asking you to pass
on private information.

2. If you have any cuttings of nationally-recognised figures speaking out
against ID cards, please send a copy to the office at: NO2ID, Box 412, 78
Marylebone High Street, London W1U 5AP. They should be clearly marked with
the publication name and date. Please include your contact details so we can
follow up.

3. Similarly, if you know of any websites reporting a nationally-recognised
figure speaking out, please send the URL ('webpage address') to
celebs at no2id.net.

4. Otherwise, NO2ID will be contacting some well-known names for their
support. If you have any strong evidence* as to those who might support us,
please don't duplicate effort by contacting them directly, but let us know
(on celebs at no2id.net) why they're worth contacting. N.B. We are particularly
keen to have more support from figures outside politics.

Many thanks for your help,

Phil Booth
National Coordinator, NO2ID

*For example, 'I heard Stephen Fry tell Radio Norwich that the ID scheme is
"just another fatuous-but-oppressive exercise in corporate jobbery, one
which I will resist till the last breath is squeezed from me by the
homunculi of the Home Office".' - Great. 'That Stephen Fry seems nice, he
must be on our side." - Really doesn't help and, in fact, wastes time.

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

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

+ 12th December Identity Cards Bill Committee Stage, Lords

On Monday 12th the Identity Cards Bill will continue its committee stage in
the House of Lords. Another session is also expected on Wednesday 14th
December. Webcasts of the debates can be viewed at www.parliamentlive.tv and
transcripts are available from www.parliament.uk/hansard/hansard2.cfm .

+ NO2ID Charles Clarke Christmas cards

We now have NO2ID Christmas cards featuring Charles Clark as Santa
(available for a donation). The card contains the adapted lyrics to 'Santa
Clause is coming to town' ("He knows if you've been bad or good, So be good
for goodness sake.."). Get your stock from the office now.

+ Sweatshirts, Banners and Smart Lapel Badges

There are still some sweatshirts available from horsham at no2id.net, with all
proceeds going to campaign funds. NO2ID Banners and small metal lapel badges
(suitable for smart clothing) are on order. Interested people/groups should
contact the office.

+ Lewisham NO2ID meetings now on Thursdays

NO2ID Lewisham have decided to switch their regular meeting day from
Wednesday to Thursday night. Mark Bennett of the Lewisham group said: "Our
recent social generated some lively debate on a number of subjects some of
which were related to ID Cards." Their last scheduled leaflet delivery for
2005 will start from the Jolly Farmers (354 Lewisham High St SE13 6LE) on
Thursday 15th December. The aim is to set off at 8pm sharp, so Mark says
please be a little early (and don't buy a full pint unless you can down it
in one).  For further information contact Mark Bennett on 07770 451201 or
visit our website http://www.lewisham-no2id.org.uk.

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

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

+ Simon Hughes MP signs NO2ID's pledge

Liberal Democrat president Simon Hughes has signed up to our refuse2 pledge.
Hughes is the first high profile MP to join thousands of NO2ID campaigners
in refusing to register for an ID card should the scheme become law. Mr.
Hughes said: "For me, it is a matter of fundamental principle, I was born in
this country and regard myself as a free man. I do not believe that I should
have to identify myself as a matter of course." Matthew Taylor, MP for Truro
& St Austell, has now also signed the pledge.
To sign the pledge visit http://www.pledgebank.com/refuse2 or they text
'pledge refuse2' to 60022 .

+ Brigton ID cards debate - "If you don't like ID cards, vote us out!"

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell went head to head with Home Office
minister Andy Burnham, in a 'Farewell to liberty?' debate on ID cards this
Tuesday (6th December). The event was organised by Brighton NO2ID, chaired
by Debbie Chay of Charter88 and sponsored by UNISON's Brighton branch.

Andy Burnham kept close to the Home Office script, denying ever having made
huge claims for the cards, asserting without evidence that a state-issued ID
card and a government register will "give the citizen more control of their
identity" and help in all sorts of ways. He also claimed that we shouldn't
worry as they have all of our information already, they just want to
fingerprint and number us so they can link it all together!

Peter Tatchell made a powerful case laying out how history shows why we
should be very cautious in giving the State such far-reaching powers,
especially in times of uncertainty. He highlighted what an utter disaster
for race relations the scheme would be and challenging Burnham on how the
scheme would actually work in practice.

During questions, the minister - who, unlike most of his colleagues, should
be congratulated for turning up for a NO2ID grilling - let slip that the
National Identity Register will be made "the bedrock for CRB checks as soon
as possible". So it's not just renewing passports that they will use to
force people onto the Register during the so-called 'voluntary' phase, it
will be every teacher, social worker, foster parent, nursery school
assistant and anyone whose job requires a 'police check'. And what of the
hundreds of thousands of civil servants with access to our data on systems
across government?

Significantly, Mr Burnham repeatedly refused to rule out charging citizens
for changing their details. It's hard to see how we own or are in control of
our identities when the Home Office levy a fee every time we have to update
our records, and fine us if we don't. Mr Burnham wasn't too happy talking
about penalties either, and seemed to think that people wouldn't mind being
thrown into prison for failing to pay £2500 because the original offence
would be 'civil' rather than 'criminal'. More evidence of delusionary
thinking at the Home Office.

At the end of the debate the minister threw down the gauntlet: "if people
don't like ID cards", he said, "they should vote New Labour out". With
public opposition to the scheme climbing past 50%, and trust in the
government at an all-time low, his suggestion may come to haunt him as soon
as the local elections next May.

+ Edinburgh students against ID cards

Last Tuesday (November 29th) a group of Edinburgh University students made
satirical 'ID Card' body placards and demonstrated around the university
campus whilst distributing flyers. This followed the Edinburgh University
Students' Association passing a motion in support of NO2ID and against ID
Cards. Sara Bodle-McAlpine, the Student Coordinator of the Scotland NO2ID
Campaign said: "We are a part of the local Edinburgh group, so please
encourage people to come along to our next meeting since we have many more
ideas up our sleeve!"

+ University of Sussex Students union backs NO2ID

A motion against ID cards and supporting NO2ID was passed by the University
of Sussex Students union at their AGM (November 24th). The motion stated
that "the government should be accountable to the people, not the other way
round", and that "ID cards and the National Identity Register are both huge
and unnecessary invasions of privacy, making a mockery of the right to
private life". The motion also called upon the NUS to adopt the similar
policies.
See http://ussu.info.dnsupdate.net/documents/agm/id_cards.pdf

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

++ "ID" In the News
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

+ Working together to stop ID cards
Residents have set up Lewisham NO2ID because they fear the proposed security
measure will turn Britain into "a police state". Opposition party leaders
have joined forces to back the group, as they claim ID cards will lead to
council tax hikes for residents.
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/lewgreennews/display.var.658097.0.working_
together_to_stop_id_cards.php

+ Campaigners up the ante in ID card battle
Campaigners fighting plans to introduce a national identity register and ID
cards are bringing a biometrics roadshow to the Scottish Capital. The move
by the NO2ID pressure group is aimed at highlighting some of the pitfalls of
using biometrics to capture finger prints and facial images to be stored on
the controversial ID cards.
http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=2316322005

+ A pan-European ID card will make a bad idea even worse
At a time when it is trying to persuade the British public of the merits of
a national identity card, the government needs proposals for a European ID
card like it needs an outbreak of bird flu. Although officials talk up
international precedents for cards, and see continental travellers as early
adopters, they are desperate to play down any EU influence on the scheme.
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,16376,1660770,00.html

+ US - Next Stop: Big Brother
One morning in late September 2005, Deb was riding the public bus to work.
She was minding her own business, reading a book and planning for work, when
a security guard got on this public bus and demanded that every passenger
show their ID.
http://www.papersplease.org/davis/index.html

+ DVLA selling drivers' personal details to firms run by crooks
THE personal information of British motorists is being sold to independent
companies by a government agency, it has emerged.
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=2313242005

+ Spy cameras to spot drivers' every move
Britain's top traffic policeman is pushing through plans to create a
national network of roadside spy cameras that will be able to track the
movements of motorists around the clock. Meredydd Hughes wants the cameras
to be installed every 400 yards on motorways, as well as at supermarkets,
petrol stations and in town centres.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-1869818,00.html

(Please send me any items of interest you encounter -
Editor(newsletter at no2id.net) )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

++ WHAT YOU CAN DO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the id card bill moves through the lords you can help us by:

+ 1. LOBBY A LORD
Ideally you should write to any Lords with whom you may have a connection. A
list of Lords with e-mail addresses can be found at
http://www.spuc.org.uk/lobbying/mcb. Lords can also be written to by post at
the House of Lords, London SW1A 0PW. All male peers (except Dukes and
Archbishops) should be addressed as "My Lord", all female peers simply as
"Dear Lady [surname]". Dukes and Archbishops should be addressed as "Your
Grace"
Lords Lobbying Tips: http://resource.nusonline.co.uk/v1/pdf/3913.pdf
How to address Lords:
http://www.parliament.uk/directories/house_of_lords_information_office/addre
ss.cfm

+ 2. SIGN OUR NEW 'REFUSE 2' PLEDGE
Please, if you can, make your pledge at http://www.pledgebank.com/refuse2 or
by texting 'pledge refuse2' 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*.

+ 3. 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

* 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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Publication details: © NO2ID 2005 - This document may be freely
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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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