The case against ID cards

My biggest issue is that they want to make it compulsory AND make US pay for it!

I struggle enough with money as it is, without having to fork out for something that's been forced on me.

Having an ID card is a great idea, we should have done it years ago. Lots of countries have them, it makes life easier and gives us some protection. Many people are so set in their ways in this country and it holds us back. It’s a bit late for paranoia now in any case. Going online is dodgy, yet here we all are! People use credit and debit cards, have digital membership cards and passes so there’s no excuse not to have them.

Scottiebear

I'm not sure why having an ID card would suddenly mean we'd be stopped constantly in the street by the police. Can't see that's a legitimate argument. And, as others have said, our data is already held by various groups already. I am not against them. And i think it could be useful to carry an ID at all times.

Says alot about the current police force in Britain if everyone is afraid of them. As stated by those carrying an I D, it doesn't happen. There seems to be alot of fear going on in the Uk, that's worse than an ID card

We have ID cards here in Belgium and I have never understood why England is so against them. There seems to be a paranoia about having your personal info tracked. Really?
We have to carry ours at all times which is easy as they are the same size as a bank card.
If you are in a serious accident, the Medics just have to put your card into a reader and they know your blood type, allergies etc. Your next of kin can be contacted immediately etc etc. Apart from the UK, we can travel to all other countries in Europe on our identity cards. I wouldn’t be without!

And the cards are free on europe

too young for bus passes and don’t have household bills?

Not sure about the rest of the UK but Scottish schoolkids and students (11-26) have a sort of ID card already. It can certainly be used as proof of age when they reach adulthood and for free bus travel up to the age of 22.

Ah, I see pce612 has posted about this already. 👍

I had an ID card when I lived in Italy, and it was compulsory to carry it at all times. I don't have a problem with it. If I had an accident, the emergency services would be able to identify me, as I don't hold a driving licence. As an Italian citizen now living in the UK, I still have an Italian ID card, but I don't carry it with me all the time.
When I was in Australia some years ago, I wanted to send a package to the UK. I was asked for ID, and had to go home to get my passport so that I could I could mail the parcel.

It would be useful for me as I don't travel abroad and don't want to go to the expense of having a passport for ID. At the moment I use my driving licence though this is not always sufficient (and many do not drive).
I have absolutely no objection to having an ID card, I have nothing to fear as I am not a criminal.

It would also be very useful to the NHS to cut down on spending on people who are not UK nationals or otherwise entitled to free care and are supposed to pay for their care.

It wouldn't bother me if we had ID cards. I have been asked to show my drivers licence once and really can't see the difference.

I can't imagine being stopped by the police because I
can't remember the last time I spotted a police officer other than in a car on the motorway.

I don't have a valid passport or driving license which never bothered me until I wanted to go to Scotland to visit family. In the end I got a citizens card which was a right faff having been married twice, so 3 different surnames, had to have a witness from a list of approved professions, and all sorts of paperwork. It arrived just in the nick of time and I now have acceptable photo I.d. ironically if I'd had either a current driving licence or passport it would have been a much easier process.

My sister doesn't have a driving license or a passport so she's uses her electoral identity card with her photo on it for everything. It wouldn't bother me having an identity card, especially if it has my details on it like my blood type, allergies, etc in case of an emergency.

grannyscott

Maybe it’s a good idea to have a photo NHS card to show that we are entitled to free treatment just like our driving Licence.

People were happy enough to carry the European Health ID Cards when it meant they could get free health care whilst on holiday in Europe. I really see absolutely no problem with any ID cards.

Not having any ID in the form of driving licence, passport etc is causing me all sorts of problems. I am all for ID cards

In my ignorance ( when Labour's Jackie Smith was trying to introduce them) I thought I did not want one. How much simpler life would be if we had them
To prove your identity when moving home etc you need some form of photo ID - so you have to have a driving licence or passport. Not everybody is able to drive nor do they want to go away on holiday
Other countries have ID cards which mean they don;t need passports.
If Labour had explained the cost saving to the majority of people then I think we would have been in agreement
As for being monitored by Big Brother - that has been in progress for several years. For those people who have mobile phones, it tracks where you go .

i don' drive and have never been out of this country, so i do not have ID, if you look at some forms they say to bring passport or driving licence, the only thing i have with a photo is my disability bus card because i have epilepsy (so not allowed to drive) everybody that works. pays tax. gets benefit. pension or has bankcards, there info is already out there, what difference would an ID card make, my son has a tracking app on my phone...no it does not bother me, if you go outside check in your area as too how many cctv cameras are in operation, mine in glasgow is 5,352. the goverment could probably send out ID cards for everybody in the uk that has a passport or a free bus pass or anything that has your photo on it.

I'm all for having ID cards and they will probably become more necessary as time goes on. I still have the one issued to me when I was born in 1950.

mokryna

volver

Most of Europe has ID cards, so has Australia.

Australia doesn't have id cards.

I've lived there as well

Well, we needed some form of identification in Alice Springs to buy petrol. My SiL’ s driving license from Sydney wasn’t enough. I don’t know what the locals do but it was the law, no identification to verify with the police, no petrol. Same law for the local bottle shop.

I think this just illustrates the misunderstanding about what an ID card is.

Not really sure about this issue. I’m Sweden where my daughter lives - they have ID cards /
Info all on in one place / tax /insurance etc - it’s convenient and the police don’t take advantage of this. Not sure why it’s an issue - I more concerned our government is taking away our human rights / protest rights etc - now that is a slippery slope

I would love to have an ID card. I don't drive therefore I don't have a Driving Licence and I'm not comfortable with carrying my Passport when I have to prove my ID somewhere as I wouldn't want to lose it. I do have my Senior Railcard on my phone and I've used that in the past but having a National ID card would be more helpful.

Mollygo

undines

ID cards - BAD. Knowledge os power and power can fall into the wrong hands. End of - for me.

I can see that, but for those on here who are vehemently against it or those like me who currently have no need of one, what do you suggest for all those who can’t afford passports or driving licences, are too young for bus passes and don’t have household bills?
Would an optional one be a solution or would that open the doorway to fraud?
Or do we just say tough, I’m all right Jack?

Get one if you want.

Just don't expect me to get one .

GrannyBe

We have ID cards here in Belgium and I have never understood why England is so against them. There seems to be a paranoia about having your personal info tracked. Really?
We have to carry ours at all times which is easy as they are the same size as a bank card.
If you are in a serious accident, the Medics just have to put your card into a reader and they know your blood type, allergies etc. Your next of kin can be contacted immediately etc etc. Apart from the UK, we can travel to all other countries in Europe on our identity cards. I wouldn’t be without!

England?

I live in Belgium. We have had i.d.cards since the times of the dinosaur. We find them practical and usefull.

I wish there was some form of ID available to those of us who don’t drive or have passports.

I suspect what rankles 'no card' people is not the card itself or even the information that is on it but the fact that someone has the power to make you have it. "Don't tell ME what to do" even if it is something that is good for me.