http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticl...LEGISLATION.xml

LONDON (Reuters) - The government re-introduced a controversial bill to bring in identity cards on Wednesday, legislation that had to be put aside earlier this year when Prime Minister Tony Blair called the May 5 election.

The government says the cards, which would contain biometric data, would help stop identity theft, which costs about 1.3 billion pounds a year.

"The abuse of identity actually costs this country billions of pounds a year," Blair told parliament.

The government also argues ID cards would help track terrorism, illegal immigration and organised crime.

"Across the world there is a drive to increase the security of identity documents, to safeguard borders and reduce threats from overseas," said junior Home Office minister Tony McNulty.

"The plans set out today will ensure the UK is at the forefront of that drive," he added.

But critics, including some Labour members of parliament, say cards pose a dangerous threat to civil liberties.

They argue the scheme is too costly, especially as it is still unclear how effective ID cards will be in tackling crime and terrorism.

"The horrendous economic costs of the ID card scheme are clear; the social costs will be with us for decades," said Shami Chakrabarti, director of human rights group Liberty.

With Blair returned to power with a sharply reduced majority, some political analysts believe the government faces a battle to get the bill through parliament.

Labour left-wingers could block the plans if enough of them join forces with the opposition parties.

When former Home Secretary David Blunkett introduced the original bill in the last parliament it sparked a Labour revolt.

The Home Office has made only minor changes to the bill, including giving more powers to the watchdog and limiting access to the national identity register.

The Liberal Democrats oppose ID cards and although Conservative leader Michael Howard has backed the idea, he is stepping down.

David Davis, the shadow Home Secretary and a favourite to replace Howard, has said he would not recommend the legislation in its current form to Conservative MPs.

The Tories initially voted for ID card legislation, but later abstained in a key Commons vote.

The cards will not be compulsory and police will not have the power to demand to see a card.


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I've put in bold the part that I think just makes this a farce... whats the point in it then :blink:

The Right Honourable members of the governemt can fuck right off on this one.

I love the fact that originally they were going to make the cards compulsory and make you pay for them.

I've read other stories that indicate the next time you renew your passport it'll be £93 quid and you'll have to get the card as well (hence the hike in price)...

I didn't post links to those because they are from the more tits-n-ass papers like the sun :yowsa:

So if you get a passport before they implement these cards, they can go fuck themselves :)

Excellent Idea :okthumb:

to be honest, it has amazed me for ages that the driver's licenses over here don't even have pics on them. However, I am pissed off we are going to have to pay for them when they aren't optional.

Well they are losing money hand over fist, guess who has to find the money they want ;)

Good film and spot on :okthumb:

They don't come in paper anymore.. send an old drivers licence off and you'll get a plastic photo card* back...













*with a huge piece of paper to go with it :yowsa:

My Guernsey liscence was handwritten lol

Is it Guernsey or Sark that doesnt have cars?

Sark :)

what is the reason for a drivers license to not have a pic on it? that seems strange. it can't be in line with international agreements.

It isn't and incredibly frustrating for Europeans and Americans, The older UK license was just paper based with just a signature and therefore easily forged allegedly. The newer one is picture based and conforms more to what is deemed as usable identification.

A lot of people still hold their old driving licenses, myself amongst them.

The UK seems to want to position it as a law unto itself, and exempt for the most part, when it suits.

It isn't and incredibly frustrating for Europeans and Americans, The older UK license was just paper based with just a signature and therefore easily forged allegedly. The newer one is picture based and conforms more to what is deemed as usable identification.

A lot of people still hold their old driving licenses, myself amongst them.

The UK seems to want to position it as a law unto itself, and exempt for the most part, when it suits. [/b][/quote]
my washington state license is also out of line with the international agreement (too lazy to google the name of it) as it does not show the license category on it, as required. it can be quite annoying as well, when i am in eastern europe.

But, will that then be one of the new biometric ones that mean you don't have to queue for months at US airports? (Or at least cuts the queue down to a number of days).

I think they're changing something about the passports, can't remember if they;ve done it or are doing it "soon".