[no2id-supporters] NO2ID Newsletter - Review of the Year 2007

Wed Dec 26 11:36:51 GMT 2007

    NO2ID Supporters' Newsletter - Review of the Year 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)

      Review of the Year

Some key moments in 2007 - and a guide to what you can do for 2008.

*January*:  NO2ID lobbies against the database state on several fronts 
-- the Children Act database now re-named 'ContactPoint', fingerprints 
in schools (with parents' campaign LeaveThemKidsAlone) and the NHS Care 
Records System.   

We started to offer a new, easy-to-read petition form. Download a copy 
from http://www.no2id.net/downloads/forms/NO2IDpetition.pdf and get your 
neighbours to talk about the ID scheme.  Please send the forms to 
NO2ID's London office (address on the form). Everyone who gives contact 
details will be invited to join NO2ID.

*February*:  NO2ID meets Sir James Crosby, who is running a government 
enquiry into "identity management". By December the report has yet to be 
appear. Why not? Is Crosby critical of the Home Office scheme? 

NO2ID & NHS Confidentiality campaign hold a public meeting in Brighton. 
Over 100,000 people have already downloaded a copy of the letter 
instructing their GP not to pass their medical records to the "Spine".  
Have you sent one yet? To find out more, please read 
http://www.nhsconfidentiality.org/?page_id=9

*March*:  Phil Booth and Guy Herbert appear before the UK Borders Bill 
Committee.  NO2ID also debates against ID-fan Martin Linton MP inside 
Wandsworth Prison, with biometrics industry representatives at the 
Science Museum, and gives the John Locke lecture at Westminster School. 

March 26th was ID-Day, with protests held across the UK.  Are you in 
contact with your nearest NO2ID local group? See 
http://www.no2id.net/localGroups/ Or ask Matty Mitford about starting 
your own: local.groups at no2id.net

*April*:  The Home Office was late for ID-Day, but from spring 2007 
onwards, first time passport applicants *could* be called to an official 
interrogation centre -- if it was open.  Check 
http://www.no2id.net/getInvolved/idCentres.php to find the nearest.

Consider renewing your passport soon to avoid a grilling and compulsory 
registration on the ID database: http://www.RenewForFreedom.org/ 

*May*:  Chris Atkins' feature film 'Taking Liberties' was released. A 
biting assessment of the government's civil liberties record, and a 
critical success, the film actively encouraged its audience to support 
NO2ID.  It is now out on DVD.

*June*:  Involving new people in the ID debate is essential. So are 
creative ways to get our message out.  In June, NO2ID supporters 
organised public meetings in Cambridge, Lewes and Edinburgh. And, from 
Cornwall to Scotland, groups ran stalls, leafleted and met to plan more 
activity. There were film screenings (Lancaster), mounted protests 
(Glasgow) and music (Shoreditch, Glasgow and Covent Garden). On 26th 
June Clarence Willcock day (http://www.metamute.org/en/State-of-Denial ) 
saw an evening of culture at the Hackney Empire.

*July*:  NO2ID continues to make an impact in the media.  We brief 
journalists and broadcasters, give interviews, film comments and respond 
to every ID-related event.  Though not always credited, NO2ID feeds 
programmes such as the BBC's "File on 4", which exposed the shambles of 
Identity and Passport Service plans.

You can have an impact, too. Take the time to write a letter to your 
local newspaper, saying why you think state control of personal identity 
is such a bad idea. It is the most read part of the paper, and you will 
reach thousands of people that way.

*August*:  The Scottish national entitlement card hits the headlines.  
Dr John Welford of Edinburgh NO2ID has tirelessly pursued this 'ID card 
by the back door'.  Read his reports, see pictures of lobbying at 
Hollyrood, and find out how the scheme is being duplicated in England in 
2008: http://www.jwelford.demon.co.uk/snec.html

Why not lobby your council?  It represents you, and local authorities 
are clearly in the Home Office's sights: 
http://www.no2id.net/resources/motions/

*September*:  Lord Justice Sedley proposes putting everyone on the 
National DNA Database.  But a Nuffield Council report (to which NO2ID 
made submissions) says the law in England and Wales should be brought in 
line with Scotland -- with DNA used in evidence, but kept only for 
convicted criminals.  Meanwhile, the Pet Shop Boys re-release their 
anti-ID single, 'Integral', linking directly to NO2ID's website: 
http://www.no2id.net/psbs/

If this review was originally sent to someone else, then please register 
as a supporter to get an email newsletter every fortnight. There is a 
form on the front page of our website -- http://www.no2id.net/  You'll 
also receive a FREE supporter's pack and alerts about NO2ID events in 
your area. If this is your original, why not pass it on?

*October*:  NO2ID is not against technology per se. 'The ethics of 
biometrics' debate at the Biometrics 2007 conference give a chance to 
challenge representatives of the industry to reject Home Office 
propaganda that will ultimately damage them - even if the government 
says it will spend billions on biometrics.

Campaigning too costs money.  We desperately need your support. Generous 
regular givers fund our cramped office and some printing costs, but we 
need many, many more.  Please make a donation or, preferably, set up a 
regular payment --  http://www.no2id.net/getInvolved/join.php

*November*:  Days after NO2ID launches its legal defence fund, the 
Chancellor announces that HMRC has lost 25 million benefit records -- 
and millions of unencrypted bank account details. Several further 
admissions show the only way to stop abuse of your confidential 
information is not to give it to government agencies.

You can have your say.  A recently-launched 'Data Sharing Review' is 
inviting comment from the public.  Please take some time over the 
holiday period to do so: 
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/data-sharing-review-consultation.htm

*December*:  NO2ID announces a new form of non-violent direct action: 
pre-emptive resistance.  The NO2ID Pledge -- 
http://www.no2id.net/pledge/ -- is a way of declaring to your friends 
and neighbours (tell everyone!) that you will not cooperate with any 
further government seizure of your personal information. If enough 
people publicly declare they will not cooperate, government seizure of 
personal identity will become impossible.

You can do something positive now. 

Make it your New Year's Revolution!

*++ STOP PRESS ++*
Though we don't consider ourselves part of the "conservative movement", 
or any movement (and NO2ID supporters certainly come from all political 
backgrounds left and right) it is nice to finish the year nominated for 
an award as National Campaign of the Year by ConservativeHome.com 
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/torydiary/2007/12/your-chance-to.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------
We are sending you this because you have indicated you want to receive 
news about the NO2ID campaign.

You can change how you receive our newsletter, or cancel it, by using 
the 'Unsubscribe or edit options' form at the bottom of this page:

http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id-supporters

If you have any problems, please send an e-mail to listmaster 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
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.no2id.net/pipermail/no2id-supporters/attachments/20071226/fc33a24e/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 8757 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.no2id.net/pipermail/no2id-supporters/attachments/20071226/fc33a24e/attachment.jpeg>