NO2ID

Yet again, the panellists this week on the BBC radio 4 programme "Any Questions" have slammed the proposals for ID cards and the NIR. The audience were also reported to be overwhelmingly opposed to them. The show can be heard (for a week) at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio4_aod.shtml?radio4/anyquestions.

The transcript should appear in a few days at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/anyque ... 0617.shtml

How far into Any Questions? is the subject discussed?

It is the second topic, starting after 11' 40". It is the first topic discussed in the subsequent "Any Answers".

Everyone was against it on Any Questions? (Alan Duncan very skilfully put the liberty argument across and mentioned the rather nasty ban on protests the Government doesn't like up to half a mile outside Parliament), to his credit), apart from the Labour robot, who regurgitated complete nonsense.

Any Answers?: First caller wanted 'ID cards' and had a lot of misplaced faith in the "advanced" technology. Second caller was a 72-year-old man who is "totally opposed" to it on civil liberties grounds - "the only thing Orwell got wrong was the year: 1984". Third caller wanted to ask a question on the massive and sprawling cost of the scheme but wanted them in principle and disagreed with the Liberal Democrat opposition - wanted a "less than technologically perfect" card, whatever that is. E-mails: first email: against on civil liberty grounds - second e-mail: against on technology grounds. Third e-mail: 'IT expert' who wanted everything centralised in particular. Fourth caller: not impressed with various Government lies about the scheme.