FW: National ID Cards in Britain Now [Rah rah]

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ID CARDS ON THE WAY
The Sunday Mirror
Sunday, September 23, 2001

http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/shtml/NEWS/P2S2.shtml

Identity cards will be introduced for the first time in
Britain in the fight against terrorism.

The move has been approved by Tony Blair as part of a
wide-ranging review of anti-terror laws.

Most of Britain's partners in the European Union
require nationals to carry identity cards which must be
produced on demand by police.

But Mr Blair and Home Secretary David Blunkett are
expected to opt instead for a voluntary scheme.
However, it will be virtually impossible for anyone to
live a normal life without one -- possession of a valid
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card will be necessary for boarding an aircraft, buying
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petrol, opening a bank account, starting a job or
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claiming benefits.
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New laws are to be rushed through Parliament as soon as
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the summer recess ends next month. Mr Blair and Mr
Blunkett are expected to reject the compulsory "on
demand" card because of connotations with Nazi Germany,
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where lack of proper identity cards could result in
instant arrest.

Whitehall officials and MPs have also warned that
relations between the police and ethnic minorities
could deteriorate under a "stop-and-show" scheme.

But the new ID cards will also be aimed at deterring
illegal immigration by making it difficult for anybody
without a proper card to carry out basic transactions.
Other measures being considered include a Europe-wide
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common arrest warrant to cut out bureaucratic red tape.
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Home Office officials are also negotiating a new scheme
with EU countries for speeding up extradition
procedures so that suspects can be brought to justice
quicker.

Tougher Europewide laws on money-laundering are also
being drawn up to prevent terrorists hiding funds in
secret bank accounts.

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85 PERCENT OF YOU WANT IDENITY CARDS
News of the World
Sunday, September 23, 2001

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/4326804

A massive 85 per cent of British people want identity
cards introduced in the wake of the terrorist attacks
on the United States, it was revealed yesterday.

Support for the national ID scheme has NEVER been
higher, according to an exclusive MORI poll for the
News of the World.

An overwhelming majority of British people are
convinced the cards would help fight crime, prevent
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terrorism and identify illegal immigrants.
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Fraud

Home Secretary David Blunkett is actively considering
introducing the system, we can reveal.

He has the support of Metropolitan Police Commissioner
Sir John Stevens and security services MI5 and MI6.

All believe the cards would play a key role in
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combatting terrorists like those involved in the US
atrocities.

The government is also convinced cards would
successfully fight organised crime and benefit fraud.

And our poll reveals you would back the Home Secretary
all the way.

Against the 85 per cent in favour -- a rise of 10 per
cent since a 1995 Mori poll -- just 11 per cent were
opposed and four per cent had no opinion. The reasons
are plain. Eighty six per cent of you say ID cards
would help police fight crime, 77 per cent reckon it
would help identify illegal immigrants and 60 per cent
claim it would help prevent terrorism.

Former Tory Home Secretary Michael Howard's plans for a
voluntary ID card were scrapped after pressure from
civil liberties groups.

But our poll reveals opposition has crumbled. Just 22
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per cent believed ID cards infringed a person's
freedom.

But there is also an overwhelming call for the cards to
be packed with information to clearly identify the
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holder.

These include photograph (97 per cent), date of birth
(96 per cent) eye colour (92 per cent), a finger print
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(85 per cent), DNA details (75 per cent), criminal
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records (74 per cent) and religion (67 per cent). Last
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night a senior Home Office source said: "Cards are
something being seriously considered.

"We want to promote all the benefits of cards, such as
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fighting fraud and crime and promoting citizenship."
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Mr Blunkett is set to call for a public debate on the
cards, likely to be an extension of the existing
credit-card-sized photo driving licence.

He will claim they would encourage people to be "active
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citizens" because you would use them in daily life.
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They would be produced when people voted, agreed to
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donate organs or collected social security benefits.
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MPs would decide if the cards should be voluntary -- as
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in France -- or compulsory as in other European
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countries.
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Support for the cards came from all quarters last
night.

Former Shadow Home Secretary Ann Widdecombe, once
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unsure about the cards, said: "I believe they should be
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introduced.

"Given recent events I am not surprised the News of the
World poll has shown 85 per cent in favour."

Fred Broughton, chairman of the Police Federation of
England and Wales, said: "Security changes must be made
to protect our country.

"Personal identification is now a priority and securing
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our individual identity is the first matter to
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address."

Easiest

Ex-Welfare Reform Minister Frank Field said: "The case
for ID cards to help counter massive social security
fraud is overwhelming."
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Michael Howard said: "Britain is the easiest country in
Western Europe in which criminals and terrorists can
lose themselves. If we are serious about tackling this
problem, there is one obvious remedy ‹ identity cards."
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News of the World consumer champion Vivienne Parry
said: "Identity cards would do more than assist with
security. They would be of tremendous social and
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crime-busting value."
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MORI interviewed a representative sample of 513 adults
aged 18-plus by telephone on September 21, 2001.

* BRITISH people still overwhelmingly support a
military strike, our poll also showed. Seventy seven
per cent support action ‹ a rise of two per cent on
last week. Tony Blair has an approval rating of 76 per
cent.

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