[no2id-supporters] NO2ID Newsletter No.69
no2id-supporters at no2id.net
no2id-supporters at no2id.net
Sat Apr 14 10:17:12 BST 2007
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NO2ID Supporters' Newsletter No. 69 - 14th April 2007
*Contacting us:* Call or email the office - 020-7793-4005 or
(office at no2id.net). Please do not reply to this email. (The from address
is not a working email address)
MAKING 'ID CARDS' AN ELECTION ISSUE
The local elections on May 3rd offer us another opportunity to raise
awareness and crank up the pressure on the government's ID scheme.
Whilst NO2ID must remain strictly non-partisan (we do not campaign for
or against any particular candidate or party) we do want every potential
representative to know that many voters are deeply concerned about state
ID control - 15 million across the UK, if we are to believe the most
recently leaked government figures - and that supporting the Home Office
scheme will negatively affect their electoral chances.
Electoral Commission rules prevent NO2ID from spending money supporting
or opposing particular candidates - they do not forbid us from
publicising each candidate's position on the ID scheme (or lack of it).
What we want you to do is find these out, and publish them as widely as
possible in your area.
If you are having local elections, please ask each of your candidates
the following three questions, i.e. just the bit between *-begins-* and
*-ends-* :
*-begins-*
*ID Questionnaire - sent to all candidates.*
You will no doubt be aware of the plan to introduce compulsory ID
cards and a set of linked databases to manage a "National Identity
Scheme". As this is an issue that will affect each and every voter,
I am sending you this short questionnaire so as to determine your
position on the nationalisation of personal identity.
1. Do you support plans for a Home Office agency to track the
life-history of every person over the age of 16 resident in
your ward? YES/NO
2. Do you support expenditure of your authority's funds on
integrating council computer systems with the Home Office
identity management databases and 'verification charges' for
council services? YES/NO
3. Two dozen local authorities, the Welsh and London Assemblies
and the Scottish Parliament have passed motions opposing the
National Identity Scheme. If elected, will you vote
for/oppose/abstain on such a motion? VOTE FOR/OPPOSE/ABSTAIN
Please add any comments you may have:
Thank you in advance for your reply. It is my intention to publicise
the responses I receive so that voters may be clear on each
candidate's position before voting on May 3rd.
[Your name and contact details]
*-ends- *
You should do this by post, by e-mail and/or directly, e.g. at hustings,
public meetings or the candidate's own surgery.
ACT NOW, as we'll be asking you to send the results to your local
newspaper in next fortnight's newsletter. It is very important that you
ask ALL candidates EXACTLY the same questions, sending your requests at
the same time. We do not want people later claiming they weren't given
the same chance as every other candidate to respond.
Good luck!
What's next?
Home Affairs Committee surveillance society inquiry - Deadline
23rd April
The Home Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry entitled "A
Surveillance Society?". They are seeking written submissions of no more
than 2,500 words by Monday 23rd April. Further details are at:
www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/home_affairs_committee/hacpn070327no18.cfm
Local groups
A full list of local groups can be found at (www.no2id.net/localGroups)
, a list of the interrogation centres can be found at
(www.no2id.net/getInvolved/idCentres.php). If you can help to set up a
local group in one of the remaining towns then please contact us at
(office at no2id.net). There is also a detailed discussion of the
interrogation centres on our forum
(http://forum.no2id.net/viewtopic.php?t=13329)
Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh Campaign stall
After a short break during Christmas and Hogmanay NO2ID Edinburgh has
resumed its regular Princes Street campaigning stall on Saturdays. We
shall be at our usual location at the east end of Princes Street,
opposite the Balmoral Hotel, from 1pm - 3pm. We use our stall to raise
public awareness of the Identity Cards scheme, collect donations and
entries for the NO2ID petition, and also to increase membership of our
group. Please do pop by for a chat if you happen to be around. We aim
to have the stall up and running most Saturdays, and new volunteers are
always very welcome. You can see photos of our stall and group contact
details at: www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/
17th April - Glasgow NO2ID Meeting
Tuesday, 17th April at 8pm in Mono. All are welcome! See
http://www.glasgow-no2id.org.uk/meeting.html
19th April - North London NO2ID Social Night
Thursday, 19th April 7.30pm onwards. Hackney & Shoreditch, Islington and
Camden groups are getting together at The Canonbury pub - Canonbury
Place, N1 2NS. Its a strictly social evening so people can mix and get
to know those in their own and other groups - absolutely no NO2ID
business will be conducted on this event. A swear box will be enforced
for those mentioning ID cards! (to fund the cause of course)
19th April Manchester NO2ID Meeting
Thursday, 19th April, 7pm - 9pm, Manchester NO2ID will be holding our
monthly meeting at the Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, Manchester.
The venue is wheelchair-accessible and all are welcome to attend. We'll
be discussing the forthcoming local elections, the recently defeated
council motion opposing ID cards, and closer integration with our
student society.
20th April - Kensington & Chelsea NO2ID stall
Friday, 20th April at Portobello Green. Campaign stall where we will
also be selling our NO2ID mugs (a bargain at £4 on the stall or
Kensington & Chelsea will also do mail order + £3 pp. - contact
kensington at no2id.net for more info).
26th April Manchester - Victoria Station Flyering
Thursday, 26th April, 5:30pm - 6:30pm: Manchester NO2ID will be taking
their fortnightly flyering campaign back to Victoria Station to raise
awareness of the National Identity Register amongst Manchester
commuters. This is a great way to spend an hour meeting other NO2ID
supporters, as well as doing something positive for the campaign and
still being home in time for tea. Meet outside Victoria Station and look
for the NO2ID T-shirts. You won't need to bring anything other than your
hands and a smile!
28th April - Cambridge NO2ID Campaign stall
Cambridge NO2ID will be running a Saturday street stall outside
Cambridge Guildhall from 10am onwards on Saturday 28th April and
Saturdays in May. Location Map: http://tinyurl.com/eo42r. Volunteers to
help very welcome - contact Andrew Watson via cambridge at no2id.net, or on
07710 469624.
1st May - Hackney & Shoreditch NO2ID meeting (Meetings the 1st
Tuesday of every month) (**VENUE CHANGED**)
Tuesday, 1st May 7.30pm. NB - the venue for Hackney & Shoreditch NO2ID
meetings has changed to:- The Pembury Tavern, 90 Amhurst Rd, London E8
1JH. Details:- http://www.individualpubs.co.uk/pembury/ ,
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/27/27595/Pembury_Tavern/Hackney
14th May - Highbury NO2ID Meeting (**NEW VENUE**)
Monday, 14th May, 7pm at The Canonbury - What better place to meet on a
sunny evening than in the Canonbury's lovely beer garden. We'll be
having an informal meeting about forthcoming events and ways to
highlight the campaign in the local area. All welcome. Address:
Canonbury Place, N1 2NS
(http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wl&q=N1%202NS)
New Highbury NO2ID Mailing List
Highbury NO2ID now has a new email mailing list - sign up today to chat
with present group members and meet new supporters in the local area.
To subscribe visit http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.highbury
19th May - NO2ID stall at Levellers' Day, Burford
Saturday, 19th May - Kensington & Chelsea NO2ID will have a stall in
Burford with the help of Swindon and other local groups.
2nd June - NO2ID Stall at Cambridge Strawberry Fair
Volunteers needed to man the stall for 2 hour shifts from 10am until
10pm: please contact cambridge at no2id.net, or text/call Andrew Watson on
07710 469624. We signed up 750 supporters last year - we'd like to
double that number this year. (Strawberry Fair info:
http://www.strawberry-fair.org.uk)
8th June - Cambridge NO2ID Public Meeting: "Whose identity is it
anyway?"
Friday, 8th June 7.30pm at Parkside Community College, Cambridge CB1
1EH(Map: http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?pc=CB11EH). Platform
speakers: David Howarth (MP for Cambridge, Lib Dem Energy Spokesperson),
Ian Gibson (MP for Norwich North, Labour), James Paice (MP for SE Cambs,
Conservative Agriculture spokesman), Phil Booth (NO2ID National
Coordinator).
All welcome. Free (but donations welcome).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
What just happened?
New ID cards novel
NO2ID campaigner Barry Tighe has published a novel, called 'Identity
Cards'. It shows the effects of ID cards and their supporting database
on the inhabitants of the old Roman town of Spawater. What happens when
a concerned group of ordinary people decide to fight back against the
imposition of identity cards and the Big Brother state? NO2ID's Guy
Herbert wrote the forward to the book which is available from the
publisher's website (www.canwritewillwrite.com/shop.htm). One pound will
be donated to NO2ID for every copy sold through the Can Write Will Write
UK Amazon shop.
Order from http://www.canwritewillwrite.com/shop.htm
Isle of Wight ID Day action
NO2ID campaigners in the Isle of Wight had a successful day of action on
ID Day. Glyn Roberts said: "First we picketed the new interrogation
centre in Newport, the Apex Centre, on a soul-less industrial estate. We
then moved to the centre of town where there were plenty of people and,
by and large, got quite a good response. More than 50% of passers-by
took leaflets, several stopped and talked about the issues, and one was
so exercised by the whole business that he's ready to help future
actions." The group got some coverage in the 'Isle of Wight County
Press' and they are now planning to contact the Quakers, Amnesty and
others whose members might support NO2ID.
Norwich campaigning news
Norwich NO2ID held a public meeting at Hellesdon Community Centre on
March 23rd. The meeting was chaired by Andrew Watson from Cambridge.
Speakers were Simon Wright (Lib Dem), Vandra Ahlstrom (UK Independence
Party) and Adrian Holmes (Green Party). Group co-ordinator Rose King
said: "The meeting was lively, but all the audience were anti-ID: it
would be nice to have a few pro-ID people turn up, so we could change
their minds." On ID Day (26th March) Simon Wright was out collecting
signatures on a Lib-Dem anti-ID petition in central Norwich, along with
Baroness Ros Scott. Rose added: "Simon and the Baroness took off to be
interviewed on Radio Norwich, but left Lib-Dem supporters collecting
signatures. I have to say that NO2ID could teach them a thing or two -
no banners - not very noticeable. Still, it all helps. Radio Norwich
gave very good coverage."
Massive price hike for expat passports - and it's not an April Fool
On 1st April the price of British passports issued abroad rose by more
than 25%. British expat passports are now among the world's most
expensive. For the cheapest adult passport a Brit in the USA will now
pay about £120. An American living in Britain can get a US passport for
about £34. In Paris a UK adult passport now costs about £126. The
maximum charge for a French passport at France's consulate in London is
just under £50. No official warning was given of the massive price hikes
- undoubtedly linked to biometrics and back-door financing of the
national identity scheme. A member of the NO2ID expats' group was only
told of the imminent leap in charges whilst giving a British consulate
an earful about the ID scheme. Having confirmed this with the FCO, the
group broke the news in a press release on ID-Day (see also following
story). Of course Brits abroad have no choice. As one outraged expat put
it: "A British family living in Calais will now have to pay upwards of
£500 just for the right to set foot in Dover." How long will it be
before passport offices inside the UK start charging the same?
Expats' ID-Day action reveals e-mail fiasco
Members of NO2ID's expats' group emailed the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (FCO) on ID Day (26th March). They wanted assurances that they
would not be subject to interrogation, fingerprinting or iris-scanning
at British consulates or embassies when renewing their passports. The
group believes that an interrogating role for consular officials would
inevitably damage their relationship with British citizens living
abroad. The FCO's response: a two-line e-mail equivalent of "not us,
mate - try the Home Office", plus a Home Office e-mail address which
doesn't exist. When told the address was wrong the FCO apologised and
sent a slightly different one. Which didn't work either. That the FCO
should want to sidestep the ID quagmire is understandable. But it makes
you wonder how bureaucrats who don't know each other's e-mail addresses
will manage to run the world's most complex surveillance database.
There's some room for hope then.
Biometrics: Europe's two fingers to Uncle Sam
Well, all this fingerprinting had to be done anyway, didn't it? Brussels
wanted two fingerprints in the passports, and the reason it wanted two
fingerprints was because the Americans wanted them, wasn't it? So it
will just make things a bit nicer for people who go to Florida, won't
it? Er no, actually, it won't. Because the Americans no longer want two
of our digits. They want all ten. In a bid to salvage their widely
discredited US-VISIT border control programme, they have suddenly
decreed that two dabs do not an ID make. So where does that leave the
holders of the EU's brand-new bog standard ePassports, including the
Brits? The ORF, Austria's equivalent of the BBC, put the question to the
German government, which currently holds the EU presidency. "The aim of
introducing electronic passports," Berlin frostily replied, "is the
secure comparison of the checked person and the document when crossing a
border [1:1 verification], for which two fingerprints are suitable and
entirely adequate ... The European concept does not provide for a
database comparison [1:n identification] such as takes place, for
example, in the USA within the framework of the US-VISIT programme." In
other words, the new European ePassports do not meet American
requirements, and there are no plans for making them do so. The Austrian
broadcaster also notes that the EU passports cannot even be matched
against European police databases of criminals' fingerprints, currently
being networked EU-wide. So "wanted criminals who get a corrupt official
anywhere in the EU to issue them with a passport in another name, but
with their own fingerprints, cannot be identified by this means".
Collapse of the rationale for Britain's brave new fingerprinting
centres. What next? Toeprints?
A third 'will refuse ID checks'
One in three people are expected not to cooperate with identity card
checks, Home Office papers from 2004 suggest. The documents obtained
under the Freedom Of Information Act are at
(www.dwp.gov.uk/pub_scheme/2007/apr).
http://www.no2id.net/news/newsblog/?p=566
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"ID" in the news
Politics delays ID card tender - Computing 12/04/07
The government's ID card procurement will go ahead slightly later than
planned so it can benefit from the 'clear air' of a new prime minister,
say sources.
http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2187548/politics-delays-id-card-tender
Atos Origin's £257m DH diagnostics contract suspended - eHealth
Insider 12/04/07
A £257m contract for diagnostic services in North-west and South-west
England awarded to Atos Origin last December has been suspended after
the Department of Health ordered an independent review following
concerns about quality and administrative procedures.
http://www.e-health-insider.com/news/item.cfm?ID=2608
ID cards to spark mass revolt - Precision Marketing Magazine
11/04/07
The introduction of ID cards is likely to lead to public protests on a
similar scale to the poll tax revolts in the early Nineties, according
to internal government documents. Home Office files, released under the
Freedom of Information Act, predict that an estimated 15 million people
will refuse to carry the cards or provide personal data on demand.
http://www.precisionmarketing.co.uk/Articles/253416/ID+cards+to+spark+mass+revolt+.html
Schools' bid to fingerprint kids - The Sun 9/04/07
Almost six million children at 17,000 schools could have their
fingerprints taken. Soaring numbers of schools require pupils to have
biometric checks to register, borrow books or buy food. It emerged that
less than one quarter of local education authorities have banned
collecting fingerprints. The rest either allow it or have no policy at
all, potentially allowing headteachers to gather biometric data from
around 5.9 million English schoolchildren as young as four.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007160290,00.html
'Millions to rebel' over ID cards - Sunday Times 8/04/07
The government is predicting that some 15m people will revolt against
Tony Blair's controversial ID card scheme by refusing to produce the new
cards or provide personal data on demand.The documents, quietly released
during parliament's Easter break, also show that the government is
planning to make ID cards compulsory in 2014, despite the expected revolt.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1626768.ece
Five civil servants suspended over 'DNA espionage' - Evening
Standard 31/03/07
Five civil servants who help run the national DNA database have been
suspended after being accused of industrial espionage. It is alleged
they copied confidential information and used it to set up a rival
database in competition with their employers, the Government's Forensic
Science Service.
http://tinyurl.com/ysfgcc
(Please send me any items of interest you encounter -
Editor(newsletter at no2id.net) )
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Publication details: © NO2ID 2007 - 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 412, 19-21 Crawford Street, LONDON W1H 1PJ
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