UK Big Brother: ID cards for foreigners launched

[redrumloa]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081125/wl ... ityprivacy

The documents will feature the holder's name and date of birth, their visa status and right to work, as well as a photograph, fingerprint record, and other biometric data.

Workers in airports and other high-security jobs will have to carry them from next year.

Anyone applying for a British passport from 2011 will be automatically added to a national identity database, but citizens will not be forced to obtain ID cards.

In addition to civil liberties concerns, the ID card scheme has been particularly hurt by a string of losses by the government of sensitive data, most notably the loss of 25 million Britons' personal information by a government agency last year.

The losses prompted concerns about the ability of the authorities to manage vast databanks of private information.

There have also been disputes over the cost of the plan.

The Home Office says the scheme can be delivered for 4.74 billion pounds over 10 years, but some researchers say the figure could be much higher.

 

[Glaucus]

And the benefit is what exactly?

 

[Robert]

And the benefit is what exactly?

To the public? None whatsoever.

To the government? Lots.

The UK creeps ever closer to a police state every passing month.

 

[Speelgoedmannetje]

 

[minator]

And the benefit is what exactly?

To the public? None whatsoever.

It's worse than that, you got to pay for privilege of having the damn thing.

To the government? Lots.

I'm not sure it's even beneficial to them, I'm sure it's a wet dream to some civil servant but even MI5 don't want the uber database.

The UK creeps ever closer to a police state every passing month.

Creeps ever closer? I thought we were there already.


I think this is all Gordon Brown's doing, I'm not a fan of his. I was even leaning towards the conservatives which is very unlike me. However GB has suddenly started doing sensible things with the economy so I'm a bit torn. That said my MP is a Liberal* so maybe I don't have to make that choice

Liberal as in Liberal Democrat, not the US meaning of Liberal which just seems to mean left wing.

 

[ScapeGoat]

Interesting how GB's reaction is to the leaked document that they intend in putting VAT up to 18½ percent after the next election.

They are so out of touch they actually believe they stand a chance of winning the next general election. I hope they lose their deposit !!

UkIp for me.

 

[Robert]

Interesting how GB's reaction is to the leaked document that they intend in putting VAT up to 18½ percent after the next election.

They are so out of touch they actually believe they stand a chance of winning the next general election.

Well, they do have a chance.

UkIp for me.

More of a chance than them anyway.

The two main UK parties are even more depressingly alike than in the US.
Just one of several million reasons why I'd rather Scotland were well out of it. Unfortunately the so called credit crunch will drive Scottish voters back into Broon's arms.

 

[smithy]

And the benefit is what exactly?

The UK creeps ever closer to a police state every passing month.

Let's not forget that most of the current cabinet were sympathizers of the Soviet regime in the 70s and many visited Moscow at the height of the cold war. It's no surprise that they are adopting Soviet-style policies now they're in power.

On that subject, the police have arrested an Opposition MP, one that's been quite active in embarrassing the government by receiving leaked info.