By Andy McCue, 2 April 2004 12:05
NEWS The terrorist threat to the UK will lead to ID cards will be introduced "more quickly than even we anticipated", according to Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Blair's comments at his monthly briefing to journalists follow on from the "route map" to ID cards unveiled by the UK Passport Service earlier this week.
"I think that the whole issue of identity cards that a few years ago were not on anyone's agenda are very much on the political agenda here, probably more quickly even than we anticipated, and that is because we are living in a new world and with a new threat that we have to take account of," he said.
It means the Cabinet's deal to delay the introduction of ID cards seems to have been thrown out of the window and that Blunkett will be given the go-ahead to fast-track the project. Blair also claimed the current climate had lessened privacy concerns and that there "is no longer a civil liberties objection".
However, that seems at odds with the civil liberties groups themselves, who this week formed a global alliance to protest at the worldwide introduction of biometric ID cards, a national 'identity register' and RFID tags.
Blair said that the biggest ID card issue needing to be addressed is the logistics - part of which is being examined in trials by the UKPS.
"There is a series of logistical questions, of practical questions, those need to be resolved, but that in my judgment now, the logistics is the only time delay in it, otherwise I think it needs to move forward," he said.
Comments
There are 32 comments. Join the discussion
1. anonymous
How can ID cards stop home grown terrorism?
2. Steve watkins
It must not be forgotten that this announcemnet was made on the same day that Hughes was forced to resign. This was a cynical piece of new management by a cynical government. A fine follow on to burying bad news. It must also not be forgotten that (1) Hughes worked for this same government department form which she was forced to resign and (2) this same government department presided over the passport fiasco in 1999. As fas as I can remember no one took responsiblity for that mess and no one resigned.
ID cards are evil and MUST be opposed.
Remember 1984.
3. anonymous
Will the government be 'fast-tracking' these cards with the same expertise with which they 'fast-tracked' immigration cases? If so, it'll be forged documents and 'unwittingly misleading' statements from ministers again.... Lord help us.
4. anonymous
I am still at a loss to work out how ID cards can assist in the 'war on terror'; Mohammed Atta and others connected with 9/11 were in the US as *legal citizens* before carrying out their attack. This is just an excuse to try to get everyone behind what is a blatant mass invasion of privacy.
To all the 'you must have something to hide' brigade - would you accept routine strip searches / private property searches on the basis that you should have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide? Well, would you?
5. Jon Cawsey
Why don't they offer a 1% reduction in tax for taking the card, the time saved tracking criminals would more than cover it.
IMHO a large % of the population have no issue with an id card.
6. anonymous
Spain has compulsary ID cards, it hasn't helped them, and the terrorists will be issued false cards by the security services of whichever country that runs them.
7. anonymous
I think I am totally missing out on WHY these ID cards are so evil and why it impinges upon my civil liberties.
I think they'd be quite handy really. None of this 'Bring a recent utility bill' nonsense whenever u need to prove your ID.
Someone explain to me pls why I need to be worried about this.
8. Mark SPLINTER
More Blairist Whack-A-Mole. If they seriously go down ths route they will have mass civil disobedience and homegrown anarchists to deal with, not to mention the huge ID card fire in Trafalgar Square.
9. Jim McMahon
1984 - just a little late
Today we live in a society very closely resembling that predicted by Orwell, so long ago. We have CCTV linked to surveillance computers, goverments that demonise enemies at will and create wars for political and economic ends, while trying to justify them for 'good causes'. Biometric IDs are just one of the final pieces in the chain to enable them to totally monitor and control the masses, once again sneaked in under the auspices of preventing terrorism. These types of developments are far more worrying to the thinking individual than the miniscule chance of being caught up in a terrorist attack.
10. John Lindsey
Good idea John Cawsey. Anything that will help stem the terrorist threat should be welcomed. What is wrong with all these civil liberties groups - the basic civil liberty we should enjoy is the right to life. Maybe these guys have something to hide?
11. Bobby K
First let me say that I work indirectly for Military through a sub-contract....
My position also contains a portion of the process for these ID Cards. I guess you could say that I am more associated with this theme than the normal "layman".
It seems to me that governments are starting to "keep track" of people through these obvious means, and I for one do not agree. This issue imposes on one´s means of freedom and privacy.
Secondly I do believe terrorism is a very big issue, but where will this "ID Card Issue" take us...? If the ultimate goal is to close in on terrorism, and terrorists are formed underground, or in very "low keyed" groups, how does documenting the rest of the world help..?
Well, it doesn´t !
Even if we documented residence and other privacy act information of every one person, this does not deter any given terroristic attack, unless you can track every one person at any time...
If we go to this extent, it is also logical to conclude that this type of information will not be used just for the "terrorism issue" , but for anything the governments want to use it for.
I believe the real solution is the improvements of Foreign Policy. Find the reasons for terrorism and fix these reasons. We all need to agree and accept this course first...
In short: The end does not justify the means here.
I work in IT. Now if I have a problem with the network, I document the network to find the problem and fix it. I dont document the users of workstations to find and fix my network problem.
12. anonymous
I resent my human and civil right to anonymity being eroded by a government that places more emphasis on political correctness than the individual. The soon this lot is removed from power the better everything will be.
13. Robert Privett
What will be next ? will we all be fitted with ID chips with sensors on every street corner to check our movements, and how will the terrorists be identified? will their chip identify them as occupation=terrorist?
14. Kent Hansen
If ID cards can stop terror, do we then still need a passport ?.
And who will pay for these ID cards do i have to pay or will i get one Automatic
15. anonymous
Well, it seems easier to Mr Blair to fast track big brother than acting on how terrorism could be cut from his support by poor masses through more efficient and less greedy business practices. RFID and ID cards sales people are waiting in the wind to sell their stuff, but I doubt they can develop a system preventing anybody to carry a bomb,with a very proper ID and RFID chip in it!
Terrorists money, Saddam money (and purchases), bribes from ALL developped countries to regional muslims leaders have been through the "liberal" banking system and it should be less expensive to redirect this money to the ones in need of education and some kind of future. High tech ID cards on 99 % of the western population will not protect anybody against hanger, poverty and totaly unknown future.
16. anonymous
It would help if there was more control over entry into the country. There's no point in any ID scheme when there are so many fakes sneaking into the UK
17. anonymous
Fascists, disguised as socialists?
If you want to introduce a population identification measure without argument, then find a problem they will apparently solve and keep saying that. The Nazis did it. Israel does it, Spain used to do it and are doing it again. Now the Uk want to do it.
18. Richard Sheppard
<b>Still April Fools' Day?</b>
There are so many problems with ID cards, it is hard to take this announcement seriously.
Like so many government control measures, ID cards will mostly affect law-abiding people.
Terrorists and organized crime will always find ways around the controls. They may even be helped by officials who will automatically trust their false ID cards and make no further enquiries.
19. anonymous
I don't think privacy is an issue with ID cards. What causes me concern is that they are likely to be compulsory to carry so you could end up with a fine or a limited time to produce at the local police station.
On top of this we will have to pay around £70 for the pleasure, not good if you have a large family.
And will visitors/tourists to the country have to have an ID card, of course not.This has nothing to do with terrorism but may help the DHSS stamp out fraud.
20. anonymous
It's fast getting to the stage that we should be as afraid of our own government as the terrorists?
What possible good do ID cards do to stop terrorism?
None that I can think of but under the banner of 'THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM' many a freedom for the individual is going to go to the wall.
Blair is a control freak. The only thing that can be said is at least he was elected, as opposed to our Civil servants that help push these 'great' ideas along.
21. anonymous
I'm perplexed as to what the big deal is about privacy here ..
This is a card that identify's who you are correct ?
It's not deep delve into what sordid secrets you have locked in your garden shed , nor does it lead to a strip search or anything close as another post implied .. Of course it won't stop terrorism (that's purely political posturing) but it might improve efficiency and security in many other area's such as high st credit card fraud and other illegal activities.. what's so wrong about that ?
22. anonymous
Passports - How do ID cards differ from that? Why do we need two identification documents at more than twice the development cost, time and trouble? Are we hoping that people preparing false identities will be daunted at doing two rather than 1?
23. Hid S
No-one still has said how the fact that I have an ID card that tells people who I am is going to affect me.
What's all this about being anonymous? Why do u care if people know who u are?????
We're only talking about ID cards here at the moment btw. Lets not start extrapolating to the future where everyone gets tracked by satellite etc etc.... granted, I'm not convinced it will help solve terrorism or whatever but I'm talking purely about the concept of an ID card.
How does it differ to a passport? (except with an ID card, u can carry it around with u all the time.)
24. Ian Savell
Hitler was leader of the "National Socialist Party" and he had widespread public support as well.
The current "ruling class" manipulate the news and public opinion to make us feel threatened, then play on those fears to introduce increasingly unsustainable and threatening policies of their own.
Every man, woman and child in the UK has more chance of being killed by an accident in the home or a superbug picked up in hospital than they have of even being injured by a terrorist.
Make the politicians pursue our agenda, not theirs.
25. John Fagus
It's the potential misuse of ID cards which makes them 'evil' for the law abiding citizen. It's a great concept when it's for the prevention of terrorism but, when a totalitarian government takes over from the cuddly one's we've had in the UK for the last 200 years, you've got to worry. Then the helpful anti-terrorist scheme becomes the perfect instrument of control. Can't happen here? That's what they thought in 1920's Germany. Once it's out of the box it will not go back in.
But it won't be as bad as that ever. So that's OK. But still it'll be swipe to leave the country and swipe to get back in; and swipe through the police hand-held when you've had a car accident; swipe to get benefits; swipe to get NHS treatment; swipe to vote; swipe to get a plane ticket swipe to get a train ticket; swipe on stop and search; swipe as you leave the peace demonstration at Hyde Park; swipe as you're caught up in a violent demo and then your next swipe as you go skiing gets you arrested - with your family - in Switzerland where the Zurich supercomputer is in constant touch with the one in Cheltenham but draws different conclusions because its neural network is set-up differently. And you we're caught up in the violent riot because you were at a girl/boyfriend's flat and your wife/husband didn't know about it - but they do now!
Petty arguments. Every law-abiding citizen should be happy to carry ID cards and be happy to produce them to any authorised person at any time on request. It's not intrusive.... you see, if you've got nothing to hide...what's wrong with ID cards. They're bound to stop terrorism (like the post-Dunblane hand-gun ban stopped fatal shootings) very soon so they must be a good thing!
Finally the cost. Full biometrics on the card? It's going to be a minimum of £150 0per person excluding the swipe and control systems. At 60m people that's £9bn even before the costs overrun on the Cheltenham anti-terrorism software project run by EDS and IBM (on behalf of the NSA)! I'd rather my kids got educated properly or they cleaned hospitals to reduce MRSA!
26. anonymous
£40 for another political sop that as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike!
How about selling the idea by junking the cost of passports, driving licences,
E111s,child benefit, unemployment cards, medical records et al onto the one ID effort....thus saving us money and probably dispensing with lots of meanial civil service jobs as well?
Of course, then I could lose the lot in one go!
27. Peter Sheppard
There never was a case not to introduce ID cards. This is a major
blow to the dishonest and will turn out to be a positive step forward.
The sooner these cards are introduced the better.
28. Joe Whitehead
<cough> counterfeit <cough>
I can imagine the new cards, just like many new things will be computerized. Gee, never had smart cards hacked, ever! <sarcasm>
29. anonymous
Dear Peter Sheppard
I fully support your views the sooner you have one of these cards the sooner we can steal your identy and gain full access to your records, we do hope that you keep large amounts of money in you bank account as it would be rather nice of you, but if not we are sure we can recoup our investment on the blackmarket.
30. Ken Hall
In response to: I'm perplexed . . .
The problem with ID cards is where it leads. Step one, we are issued with compulsary ID cards. we need these to show who we are and prevent fraud. OK so far. Step two, we have to produce the ID card in every transaction, to prove who we are and to prevent fraud and terrorism. Problems start here.
What happens when we (in a free democratic country) disagree with the government on any issue and decide to peacefully protest? Our faces get video'd and our names get entered into a database. we are catagorised as potential trouble makers.
Step three. future government (in an effort to prevent torrorism) re catagorise all potential trouble makers as terrorists or terrorist sympethisers. All knoen terrorists ans terrorist sympethisers have their cards blocked.
Now you cannot carry on legal transactions. your ID card is blocked. You cannot work, your card is blocked. you cannot exist in your nation of birth, because of your beliefs, your card is blocked. you are easily identifiable and can be picked up and detained.
These ideas are happening NOW. people ARE being chipped as we speak. Don't take my word for it, check it out for yourselves. Do your own research. prisonplanet.com rense.com whatreallyhappened.com etc.
31. anonymous
Peter Sheppard: "There never was a case not to introduce ID cards."
>> I don't believe that the government has even proved that we do need such a scheme, it has not even bothered to produce a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis.
"This is a major blow to the dishonest and will turn out to be a positive step forward. The sooner these cards are introduced the better."
>> If anything, such a scheme should NOT be rushed, it is a huge undertaking especially at this scale.
Smart cards are not a "magic bullet" for eliminating fraud, illegal immigration, or terrorism. Yes smart cards will be harder (not impossible) to forge, but that is solving a different problem.
There are good reasons why experts such as Ross Anderson and Bruce schneier are critical of such schemes.
32. anonymous
I now live in canada , I was born in Scotland,is it necessary for me to have an IDcard?