The case against ID cards

Was that really necessary? No it wasn't.

Perhaps that nice Ms Sturgeon will introduce ID cards if Scotland is ever independent Volver grin and wants to be like France and other European countries.Wouldn't that be ironic.

Ironic and miraculous. Scotland and most of the people who live here know the meaning of human rights. Unlike many of the people on this thread. We've said "no thank you" to voter ID for Scottish elections too, because we know what they're really up to.

What do you imagine ‘they are really up to’?

Well, voter suppression.

Hadn't you noticed?

No, possibly because it doesn’t exist.
Are there not enough real problems in life without people inventing conspiracy/ scare stories.

www.electoral-reform.org.uk/campaigns/upgrading-our-democracy/voter-id/

(Fingers in ears and singing la-la-la won't make it all go away)

Maybe I’m naïve but I really don’t buy into conspiracy theories. By the way I haven’t got my fingers in my ears and neither I nor anyone else wants to hear my singing, La La La or otherwise.
I’m not sure I’m going to vote in the next election anyway, voter ID or not, because I’m disillusioned with all of them. I might spoil my ballot paper though.

There are rarely real conspiracies, they are always too difficult to set up. Not worth the effort.

Reality rules OK 👌

ID cards system seem to work well in countries where they have been arounf for a long time. And the information they carry is limited and has to be available to card holder.

I totally understand Volver's worries about what this Governement is intending to do with them. Discriminate as regards future private health care. And as she says, the intention of Conservatives to manipulate elections, Constituencies, and eliminate the poorer and most vulnerable from voting rights. A real concern and no conspiracy theory.

I also understand volver’s worries but I don’t share them. I think it’s all a moot point anyway as I don’t think we’ll be having ID cards anytime soon.

Does anyone remember, the idea of ID cards was brought up during the Blair government years, but it was dropped because people objected quite a lot.

maddyone

Does anyone remember, the idea of ID cards was brought up during the Blair government years, but it was dropped because people objected quite a lot.

It was dropped by the new Home Secretary, Theresa May, when Conservatives and Lib Dems formed the new government.

Was it really? And I always thought it was dropped by the Blair government. Well I never!

I was actually employed by the CS at the time and my department was involved with it.

From memory it was suggested under Blair and Gordon Brown was dealing with it but it was all getting rather vague with assertions that people wouldn't have to carry them, so what was their point. There was also talk of using them in the EU instead of passports. It all got complex, hugely expensive and it was axed as soon as the Conservatives got in.

Something like that anyway. I don't believe that well be having ID cards any time soon. They aren't popular with many. I always swore I'd rather go to prison than carry one. Bit extreme of me really. Luckily we never got to put it to the test!

We have had personal ID numbers in Sweden from probably the 1960s. Have only experienced positive things using it. Simplifies all sorts of transactions

We can already be tracked via our phones and there are so many cctv cameras around now that is difficult to be out and about without being tracked. Facial recognition technology imposes even further on our privacy. If you use an oyster or debit card on public transport, your journey can be tracked and, simply using your credit/debit card for a purchase means you can be tracked. I am not convinced that ID cards will make a great deal of difference.

Passports and driving licences are often used for ID too.

Greyduster

I don’t get this. Until we become a police state - and let’s be sensible about the possibility of that happening - under what circumstances do you envisage you would you be asked to produce it while out and about minding your own business?

Have you ever been in Paris and watched them stop random young black men to demand their ID? (And I don't think France is a police state)

I have dual nationality and one of these involves an ID card (and the police have demanded it more than once, and also talking about what data is held, they even put guarantees for consumer items on it...). I will fully admit that it makes life, for me, easier but knowing that we can manage without them without any great loss I'd much rather stay te way we are in the UK.

I am with volver. For ID to be acceptable you would have to trust your government, forever. I don't trust any of the present UK Cabinet, to not sell my details etc. Do you?

Let's just give up then.

Perhaps we could all get little cameras implanted into our foreheads so that "they" know where we are and what we're doing all the time?

They’ll be wanting to microchip us soon -like my dog … scary how much information about us is out there for all to find if they are so inclined!

I think living in society we have responsibilities to society. We are not living independently. We claim things from Society and give things to it, that's the way it works.
Presently you have to prove entitlement for many things by passport/driver's licence, which many people don't have. A simple ID card would be efficient, fair and honest.

growstuff

But why wouldn't people have an ID card? I still have my official National Insurance card in my wallet (issued automatically when I first started work) and recently used it when ID was required for something.

I did not think that NI cards were valid as ID as they have no photograph, nor do they have address, dob details etc.

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.

I have lived in three different countries where I D cards were mandatory. It never bothered me at all and I would be more worried about personal info on the internet.

I am late coming to this thread but have no problem with ID cards.

However I would reconsider if someone can explain why I should be worried about them.

What extra information will the Government have about me that they don't already have apart from the biometric stuff?

And how would they use this additional information to restrict my freedoms?