ID cards in the UK.From a Left/Right perspective - Poll

[TJC1]

From liberty

Crime - There is no evidence that crime levels in countries that already have ID Cards (such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain) have been reduced by having ID cards;

Terrorism - Terrorists, especially suicide bombers, generally want to hide their intent not their identity. The 2005 Madrid train bombers carried ID cards which did not prevent them from committing their horrifying act. Even former Home Secretary Charles Clarke admitted that ID cards would not have stopped the London bombings in 2005;

Identity fraud - This rarely happens face-to-face but instead most often occurs online, which ID cards wouldn’t affect. In any case it is highly likely that false ID cards would be created by those intent on committing face-to-face identity fraud and, with so much information stored in one plac,e the National Identity Register (NIR) would be vulnerable to those intent on doing us harm;

Benefit fraud - The Government’s own statistics show that 95 per cent of benefit fraud is due to lying about circumstances, not about identity;

Illegal immigration - Asylum seekers already have to carry identifying documents.

[RonJeremy]

Thailand has a terrible human rights record. You are likely to face the butt of a soldiers gun and a lengthy jail term in the most inhumane prison possible if you refuse to show I.D.

 

OK remove that from the list.

Are the others police states?

[TJC1]

The government obviously. And they've demonstrated complete trustworthiness and reliability. They totally understand about IT security, and no legislation they've passed has ever been used for far more than it was originally 'intended'...

 

The government are great with I.T

look how quickly and efficiently universal credit is being rolled out, what could possibly go wrong?

 

---------- Post added 03-08-2015 at 13:30 ----------

 

OK remove that from the list.

Are the others police states?

 

Are they police states? What's that got to do with it?

[RonJeremy]

The government are great with I.T

look how quickly and efficiently universal credit is being rolled out, what could possibly go wrong?

 

---------- Post added 03-08-2015 at 13:30 ----------

 

 

Are they police states? What's that got to do with it?

 

I feel they are not. And that ID cards will not pose a civil liberties problem for the vast numbers of law-abiding citizens.

[TJC1]

I feel they are not. And that ID cards will not pose a civil liberties problem for the vast numbers of law-abiding citizens.

 

Uruguays one of the top 5 corrupt governments in the world. Croatia and greece most corrupt in Europe.

 

---------- Post added 03-08-2015 at 13:38 ----------

 

It's not the citizens or even the police we need to worry about, it's the government and politicians!

Edited August 3, 2015 by TJC1
..,

[Vague_Boy]

Forgive my ignorance here, but could someone please explain what they mean by ID cards? We already have ID in the form of driving licence/passports. If you mean a proof of age card, I’m sure teenagers can apply already for such things. Have I missed some news story or other?

 

I would imagine it's a mandatory ID card that everyone must carry at all times. For example, I'm not a teenager, don't drive and haven't left the country since 1979.

 

It's something that we're threatened with every now and again.

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/need-detention-camps-mandatory-id-6180787

[tzijlstra]

I'm a liberal and I think it is about time. I'd happily swap decorating the whole country with CCTV for the obligation to have ID on you.

[unbeliever]

I'm a liberal and I think it is about time. I'd happily swap decorating the whole country with CCTV for the obligation to have ID on you.

 

There's an enormous difference these days between a modern "liberal" and a classical "liberal". A classical liberal is more clearly described as a libertarian.

 

Besides, that's not what's on offer.

 

You can have electronic snooping, CCTV and ID cards (which come with lashings extra snooping); or you can have just electronic snooping and CCTV.

[taxman]

I'm a liberal and I think it is about time. I'd happily swap decorating the whole country with CCTV for the obligation to have ID on you.

 

How would that make things better? CCTV can record a crime and provide evidence that can be used in court. Everyone carrying a piece of paper around is a completely different matter.

 

I have ID on me most of the time, it's not going to prevent me committing a crime if I wanted to, however the presence of cameras would.

[RonJeremy]

How would that make things better? CCTV can record a crime and provide evidence that can be used in court. Everyone carrying a piece of paper around is a completely different matter.

 

I have ID on me most of the time, it's not going to prevent me committing a crime if I wanted to, however the presence of cameras would.

 

You make a good point, but it falls short of the issue. ID cards are not there to discourage people like you. They re there to get an idea of who is in our country and who is illegal. It would also save a lot of police time trying to identify who it was they are talking to.

 

I am not rabidly in favour of them, but on balance slightly in favour. I cant see the government using them any more nefariously than they use other forms of information.

 

They know how much I earn.

They know how many people in my family.

They know my criminal record.

They know where I live.

they know where I work.

They know what businesses I own.

They probably know who I have been texting.

They may even know the content of my emails.

They know where I've travelled to.

I am not a problem to them (much).