[no2id-supporters] NO2ID Newsletter No.128

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     ++ NO2ID Supporters' Newsletter No. 128 - 30th July 2009 ++

*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)


       + A NO-BRAINER +

The new Home Secretary found himself in Manchester for the second time
in a month this week, pausing only to wave the final mock-up of the
identity card at St Pancras Station. We wonder whether this counts as
two towards the Home Office's quota of summer policy announcements to
make the government look active and decisive.

Once in Manchester, which is to be a "beacon area" (beachhead?) for the
scheme, he conducted what is certainly the third, and (if you count St
Pancras) possibly the fourth re-launch of ID cards this year. It is
beginning to look a bit desperate.

Mr Johnson called ID cards a "No-brainer" in the fight against fraud. "I
believe the ID card will be welcomed as an important addition to the
many plastic cards that most people already carry," he said. You'd have
to *be* a no-brainer to believe that. Nobody with a brain is going to
take up Mr Johnson's important addition when they realise it means being
tagged and tracked for the rest of their lives, and that that particular
plastic card will own *them*.

Strangely the Home Office is quiet about that element of the bargain. It
is up to NO2ID to tell the public, and we will be launching a series of
campaigns in Manchester and the north west during the autumn. Look out
for more information soon about how you can help.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


       What just happened?

*+ Passport price set to rise yet again +

*In October the cost of a British passport will rise to £72. This will
be the third price hike in less than two years - a rise of 70% since
December 2005 when it was just £42. It will cost £114 for a same-day
premium service and the "fast track" (one week processing) will go up to
£97. The passport cost increases have been used by the UK Identity and
Passport Service (UKIPS) to mask the true costs of the ID scheme which
is being implemented as part of "passport modernisation".
See http://ips.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/ips_live/hs.xsl/1167.htm

*+ Government launches ID cards yet again +

*Launching the ID scheme is an almost weekly event - today (30th July)
Home Secretary Alan Johnson trooped the proverbial Home Office colour
and launched the scheme yet again, this time by showing the world what a
piece of plastic looks like. The card was revealed by the Home Secretary
at St Pancras International Station in London and it was announced
(again) that the card can also be used as a travel document in Europe.
He also announced (again) citizens in the North West will be able to
apply for a card in the New Year. Of course what he didn't announce
(again) was that as well as having a plastic card you will have to
supply 49 pieces of information that will be stored in centralised
databases for life and that you will be locked into a system of fines if
they deem this information to be incorrect. The Home Office has released
pictures of the new ID card design so that forgers have plenty of time
to make convincing copies.
See http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-releases/uk-id-card-image-unveiled

*+ Government database to protect "vulnerable groups" +

*In October the government will launch its new Vetting and Barring
Scheme (VBS) designed, according to them, "to ensure that anyone who
presents a known risk to vulnerable groups is quite simply prevented
from working with them". The scheme will be backed with yet another
government database. The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) will
administer the scheme. From July 2010 anyone working with vulnerable
groups (such as children and prisoners) will be encouraged to register.
According to the ISA  website: "When a person becomes ISA-registered
they will be continuously monitored and their status reassessed against
any new information which may come to light". The ISA scheme is in
addition to Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks, but unlike CRB checks
it will become a legal requirement for everyone who is working with
specified vulnerable groups to be registered with (and tracked  by) the
ISA. The scheme has been introduced under the Safeguarding Vulnerable
Groups Act 2006, which came about after the Bichard Inquiry, which
"recommended a new scheme under which everyone working with children or
vulnerable adults should be checked and registered". The Roadshow
presentation that explains the new scheme states: "Information sharing
framework is enshrined in law and is at the heart of the scheme".
A presentation and FAQ about the scheme are at
http://www.isa-gov.org.uk/Default.aspx?page=395

*+ Liberty film warns of National Identity Register +

*Liberty has produced a short film that looks at government data losses
and the danger of creating yet another massive database, namely the
National Identity Register. The film called "Where do they go?" is
narrated by Simon Callow and features a paper man who leaves parts of
himself in a variety of locations. Liberty's accompanying blurb says:
"Over the last few years the Government has mislaid a staggering amount
of our personal information. In this clever short film, Liberty asks
whether they can be trusted with even more data".
See
http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/issues/3-privacy/film-where-do-they-go-.shtml

*+ ID cards a waste of money - says new poll +

*A YouGov / Sunday People poll of 1765 adults in the UK has found that
79% of respondents think ID cards are a waste of money. Support for the
government's ID scheme has steadily decreased as people find out more
about it - something that has become increasingly difficult as
government spin continues to create confusion amongst the wider public.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


       What's next?

***+ 30th July - Magicians against ID Cards +*
Thursday 30th July, 8pm till 10pm at the Inn on the Green, just by
Ladbroke Grove tube. Roll up for the Magical Liberty Tour and enjoy a
night of stunning conjuring in support of NO2ID.  London's top magicians
and mindreaders will take to the stage to offer you an evening of
mystery and illusion. Hosted by the very funny Tim Fitzhigham, who
sailed the Channel in his bathtub, the confirmed acts are: Ian Saville,
James Freedman, Michael Pearse, Katharine Rhodes, Stephen Barry and
Russell Levinson. NO2ID will have a stand at the gig. Tickets are only
£5 on the door.

*+ DNA Database consultation +*
The government has launched a consultation 'Keeping the right people on
the DNA database'. The consultation closes on 7th August - responses can
be emailed to (DNAconsultation at homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk). For details of
the consultation and links to the relevant consultation documents see
http://www.tellthemwhatyouthink.org/consultation/con-2255-keeping-right-people-dna-database

*+ 8th August - London Activist Network's London-wide activity +*
Saturday 8th August - the London activist network's second London-wide
activity. We will be meeting at 12.00pm at the upstairs function room of
the Dartmouth Castle in Hammersmith
(http://www.thedartmouthcastle.co.uk/).  >From 12.00pm to 13.30pm we
shall brief volunteers on the plan for the day, which is to set up
simultaneous stalls outside several London tube stations to engage the
public while they are out and about shopping (and not in a rush because
they're going to work!). In addition, there will be coaching on how to
engage the public, the arguments to use, regulations governing the
setting up of stalls, etc.

If you haven't yet signed up to the ID Action mailing list, which is our
main communication channel for the London Activist Network, you can sign
up by clicking on this link and following the instructions
(http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/id-action). You can also email
Lawrence on (london.outreach at no2id.net). Sign up to the Twitter page at
http://twitter.com/LondonNO2ID

------------------------------------------------------------------------


       "ID" in the news

*+ HMG isn't Tesco - Kable 30/7/09 +*
"Google or the Nectar card companies may know lots about you, but at
least they can't arrest you on the basis of what you have told them."
http://www.kable.co.uk/comment-samathieson-damiangreen-it-30jul09

*+ Spending on UK identity scheme hits £215m - Computing 30/7/09 +*
The government has spent £215m so far on the National Identity Scheme,
leading to accusations of waste from the Tories because they say they
will scrap the ID cards section of the scheme should they win a general
election next year.
http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2246971/200m-already-spent-national

*+ The government has unveiled the ID card for British citizens - IT Pro
30/7/09 +*
The government is continuing its push to create an ID card system in the
UK, today unveiling the official card for British citizens. Identity
cards have already been issued to so-called foreign nationals --
students and spouses of Brits. Similar to that card, the British version
features the usual photo, name, date of birth and signature. It also has
a chip that will hold fingerprints and data found on passports.
http://www.itpro.co.uk/613357/photos-id-cards-for-brits

*+ I wouldn't trust Goggle with my personal info - The Times 27/7/09 +*
When I read in the pages of this newspaper this month that the
Conservative Party was planning to transfer people's health data to
Google, my heart sank. The policy described was so naive I could only
hope that it was an unapproved kite-flying exercise by a young
researcher in Conservative HQ.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6728116.ece

*+ Don't call me Shirley, says peer - BBC News online 24/7/09 +*
Home Office minister Lord West has written to a hereditary peer to
reassure him he will be able to use his full title on his identity card.
Conservative peer Earl Ferrers was concerned he might simply be named
'Robert Shirley' on the card, causing confusion.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8168165.stm

*+ Eleven million names on school vetting database - The Independent
18/7/09 +*
Parents who help out on school trips or accept foreign exchange students
into their homes will have to register on a government database in order
to prove they are not a danger to children.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/eleven-million-names-on-school-vetting-database-1750103.html

*+ Home Office research so feeble someone ought to be locked up - The
Guardian 18/7/09 +*
We'd all like to help the police do their job well. They, in turn, would
like to have a massive database with DNA profiles from everyone who has
been arrested, but not convicted of a crime. The Home Office has
assembled some evidence. It is not good quality. In fact, this study
from the Jill Dando Institute, attached to their consultation paper as
an appendix, is possibly the most unclear and poorly presented piece of
research I have ever seen in a professional environment. Or am I having
a bad day?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jul/18/bad-science-dna-database

*+ Technology should not be excuse to erode our precious freedoms - The
Independent 17/7/09 +*
Permanent Secretaries and police chiefs can be much more dangerous to
British democracy than demagogues and extremist politicians. By
collecting and sharing masses of private information either to provide
the public services for which they are responsible or to try to spot
future criminals, they are creating the database state.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/damian-green-technology-should-not-be-excuse-to-erode-our-precious-freedoms-1750187.html

(Please send me any items of interest you encounter -
Editor(newsletter at no2id.net) )
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*+ LOCAL GROUPS NEWS + *

To see if there's a group in your area check our list at
http://www.no2id.net/localGroups/
Or, if you're interested in starting a group yourself, please contact
Matty on local.groups at no2id.net to discuss what's involved and what we
have in place to support coordinators and their groups.

_*+ Alexandra Palace +*_

*+ 9th September - Alexandra Palace NO2ID monthly meeting (2nd Wednesday
of month) +*
Wednesday 9th September, 8:15pm at The Gate pub on Station Road (N22
7SS). All welcome. For further details please contact
alexandra.palace at no2id.net

_*+ Cambridge +*_

*+ 1st August - Cambridge NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday 1st August in the usual spot outside Cambridge Guildhall
(http://www.aardvarkmap.net/mape/T5LZATLS) from 11am. We will be joined
by Cambridge MP David Howarth from 2pm. Please contact Andrew on 07710
469624 if you'd like to help.

*+ 5th August - Cambridge NO2ID pub meeting (1st Wednesday of month) +*
Wednesday, 5th August 7:30pm at the Salisbury Arms, 76 Tenison Rd,
Cambridge CB1 2DW (http://www.aardvarkmap.net/mape/CYXNES29). Cambridge
NO2ID's informal pub meetings are on the first Wednesday of each month.
For more details contact cambridge at no2id.net, or text/call Andrew on
07710 469624.

*+ 22nd August - Cambridge NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday 22nd August, another NO2ID stall in the usual spot outside
Cambridge Guildhall.

_*+ Camden and Islington +*_
**
*+ 4th August - Camden & Islington NO2ID monthly meeting (1st Tuesday of
month) +*
Camden & Islington NO2ID meet on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 8pm at
The The Kings Head, 59 Essex Road, Islington, N1 2SF. For more info
email camden at no2id.net or join the mailing list at:
(http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.camden).

_**__*+ Daventry +*_

*+ 9th September - Daventry NO2ID Meeting +*
Wednesday 9th September, 8pm at the Dun Cow, Brook Street, Daventry.
There is no meeting in August.

_*+ Dorking +*_

*+ 4th August - Dorking NO2ID Meeting (1st Tuesday of month) +*
Dorking NO2ID's monthly get together is at The Lincoln Arms, by Dorking
mainline station, every first Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm.

*+ 9th September - Question Time on Civil Liberties, Ewell +*
Wednesday, 9th September 7.30pm, Bourne Hall, Ewell a Question Time /
Public Meeting with Chris Grayling MP, Shadow Home Secretary and 3 or 4
other panellists. The Question Time on Civil Liberties promotional
campaign is underway. Over the next 4 weeks, we plan to contact 25 high
schools, 6 newspapers, 5 MPs, 5 constituency political parties and 5
lots of Borough Councillors. We will be doing 5 street stalls as well as
leafleting train stations and some door to door drops leading up to the
event. If you haven't got involved yet, come along to our monthly
meeting on the first Tuesday of each month at The Lincoln Arms, near
Dorking mainline station at 7.30pm.

_*+ Dover +*_*

+ 15th August - Dover NO2ID street stall +
*Saturday 15th August, from about 10am, weather permitting. This time
we're actually in Dover, in front of the war memorial, near the Town
Hall. All help welcome -- please come and support. Contact Ian Taylor on
dover at no2id.net*
*
_*+ Edinburgh +
*_*****
+ Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh street stall +*
Every week, weather permitting, you will find our campaigning stall at
the east end of Princes Street, opposite the Balmoral Hotel.  Do drop by
for a chat.  New volunteers - please contact John (edinburgh at no2id.net),
and for more group information see http://www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/

*+ Edinburgh Festival Free Fringe show 'Freedom Come, Freedom Go! - Free'*
Starting Saturday 8th August, 'Freedom Come, Freedom Go! - Free' is
performed by Tom Read, the Norwich NO2ID Coordinator and part-time stand
up comedian. Go to the NO2ID Edinburgh announce list or the NO2ID Forum
(http://forum.no2id.net/viewtopic.php?t=28844) for more information on
this and two other Fringe shows.

_*+ Epsom +*_

*+ 9th September - Question Time on Civil Liberties, Ewell +*
Wednesday, 9th September 7.30pm, Bourne Hall, Ewell - Question Time on
Civil Liberties (see Dorking above for more information). If you can't
help, be there with five friends.

Come and meet up at the Dorking Group's monthly get together at The
Lincoln Arms, by Dorking mainline station, every first Tuesday of the
month at 7.30pm.

If anyone wants to get involved in the Epsom area, please email or phone
NO2ID South East Regional Coordinator Geoff Cox on south.east at no2id.net
or call 01306 631377.

_*+ Exeter +*_

There is now a shiny new Exeter NO2ID group! Anyone in the vicinity that
would like to join a mailing list, meet up, talk action etc, just email
exeter at no2id.net and say hello! Very importantly, Exeter council has
just unanimously passed a reaffirmation of expression of distrust of the
ID card scheme. We're looking to draw together some members for stalls,
letters, media coverage etc, so get in touch!
**
_*+ Glasgow +*_

*+ 4th August - Glasgow NO2ID Meeting +*
****Glasgow NO2ID meet on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 8pm in Mono.
All welcome. Please contact Geraint for further details: glasgow at no2id.net

_*+ Hammersmith & Fulham +
*_
As hardly anyone in our borough seems to support ID cards, we would also
be interested in hearing from anyone who might like to help out with a
stall in say Ealing or Acton shopping centres. Please contact as above,
or via (hammersmith at no2id.net).

_*+ Ipswich +*_

*Calling Ipswich supporters*
Recently Cambridge and Norwich NO2ID groups joined forces to run a very
successful street stall in Ipswich town centre, garnering over 130 new
NO2ID supporters. We'd like to build on this success to re-establish an
Ipswich local group. If you live near Ipswich and would be interested in
participating in a local group there, please contact Andrew Watson
(andrew.watson at no2id.net) or Matty Mitford (local.groups at no2id.net).

_*+ Lancaster +*_

Subscribe to the Lancaster NO2ID e-mail list at
http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.lancaster

_*+ Leeds +*_*

+ 1st August - Leeds NO2ID Street Stall +
*Saturday 1st August, from 1pm somewhere on Briggate, the pedestrianised
street in the city centre with Harvey Nichols on it. If you fancy
helping out, mail (leeds at no2id.net). Depending on uptake, we may go for
a drink afterwards.

*+ Mark Thomas in Harrogate +*
Several members of Leeds NO2ID attended the Mark Thomas show in
Harrogate recently and their manifesto suggestion "Anyone who supports
ID cards should be banned from having curtains" was voted top idea!
(http://www.markthomasinfo.com/policies.asp). Not sure what effect it'll
have, but a heartening experience nonetheless.

_*+ Manchester +*_

ID cards are to be introduced in Manchester this autumn. Recent spin
from the Home Office has convinced people that the National Identity
Scheme has been cancelled, that it isn't a threat and it's voluntary.
It's more important than ever to get the word out about the Database State.

*+ 8th August - Manchester NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday 8th August, 2-4pm in St. Ann's Square in Manchester City Centre
(down near the big Marks and Spencer) to raise awareness among the
public and engage people in discussion about the National Identity
Register. We'll meet in the square itself at 2pm to set up shop; feel
free to join us to lend a hand or just chat. You don't need any
experience or equipment, just a bit of   time to spare and a friendly smile!
http://manchester.no2id.net/content/street-stall-august-2009

*+ 12th August - Manchester NO2ID Meeting +*
Wednesday 12th August, 7-9pm in the Town Hall Tavern, Tib Lane,
Manchester. Sadly, this venue is not wheelchair-accessible; please
contact us on manchester at no2id.net if you have accessibility needs.
Everyone is welcome, newcomer or not, curious or committed. See minutes
of our previous meetings at
(http://manchester.no2id.net/taxonomy/term/5). We are always looking for
volunteers to take and type up minutes from our meetings; it's an easy
way to help the campaign! Unfortunately, the Town Hall Tavern no longer
do evening food.
http://manchester.no2id.net/content/monthly-meeting-august-2009
**
_*+ Newport +
*_
If you are interested in the work of the Newport group, please join
their mailing list on: http://lists.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.newport
*
*_*+ Norwich +*_

*+ 1st-29th August - Photo-ID Exhibition +*
1st-29th August, 7am-midnight, Norwich City Centre. Identity is a fluid
and complex set of overlapping and sometimes contradictory properties
and assertions. The complexity of personal and social identity will be
explored in Photo-ID, a major exhibition in Norwich City Centre centred
around The Forum throughout August 2009. Free. For more info see:
www.photo-id.org.uk

*+ Edinburgh Festival Free Fringe show 'Freedom Come, Freedom Go! - Free'*
Starting Saturday 8th August, 'Freedom Come, Freedom Go! - Free' is
performed by Tom Read, the Norwich NO2ID Coordinator and part-time stand
up comedian. Go to the NO2ID Edinburgh announce list or the NO2ID Forum
(http://forum.no2id.net/viewtopic.php?t=28844) for more information on
this and two other Fringe shows.
*
+ 15th August - Norwich NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday 15th August, 1pm-3pm at The Haymarket, Gentleman's Walk. Please
come along for ID card and database-related antics. Fresher or seasoned
protester, anyone welcome! Say no to Big Bro.

*+ 18th August - Norwich NO2ID Group Meeting +*
Tuesday, 18th August, 7.30pm-9pm at The Workshop (opposite The Black
Horse), 53 Earlham Road, NR2 3AD. Discuss what ID cards and being on
various government databases will entail and ways of fighting back.

If you are interested in the work of the Norwich group, please join
their mailing list on: http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.norwich

_*+ Oxford +*_

*+ 1st August - Oxford NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday, 1st August in Cornmarket Street from 11am for a couple of
hours. This will be our first opportunity to make sure the public knows
that the Government is pressing ahead with the identity scheme, despite
what they may have heard in the press. Come and lend a hand to spread
the message!

*+ 6th August - NO2ID Oxford monthly pub meeting +*
Thursday, 6th August at the Mitre on the High Street from 8pm. All welcome.

See the website for more: http://no2id-oxford.org.uk/

_*+ Southampton +*_

*+ 5th August - NO2ID Southampton monthly meeting (1st Wednesday of
month) +*
Wednesday, 5th August, 8:00pm, as usual at the Dolphin pub next to St
Denys Station. July saw the group follow-up on the two stalls held at
Portswood and Bitterne in June with another successful stall in Shirley.
Thanks to these stalls we have signed-up well over 100 new supporters in
the last month. Members of the group were also actively involved in a
letter writing campaign lobbying our local members of parliament to vote
against the introduction of the ID Regulations that were approved in July.

_*+ Watford +*_

*+ Call for Volunteers** +*
The NO2ID Watford group also covers the towns of St. Albans, Hemel
Hempstead and Rickmansworth and the surrounding south west Hertfordshire
region. We are currently seeking volunteers to help organise activities
in the area. We usually meet on the first Tuesday of each month in a pub
in Watford but we are prepared to consider rotating this with the other
towns if it is more convenient to people. We also hold a street stall
the following Saturday morning after the meeting in each of the towns.
The street stall is great fun and allows us to interact with the public
and to get signatures on the petition. We are also looking for people to
lobby their local council to get a resolution passed of non cooperation
with the identity card and database scheme. Watford and Three Rivers
have passed such a motion and we need people from St. Albans, Dacorum
and Hertsmere to write to their councillor. Please contact Colin Simmons
on (watford at no2id.net).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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NO2ID, Box 412, 19-21 Crawford Street, LONDON W1H 1PJ