We're updating our Worcestershire two-pager on "What the Government would rather you did not know about ID cards", or rather Brian Gladman is, and we'll make that available asap.
We're also producing an original cartoon and text as a postcard...
In the interim, here's a heavily subbed one pager, that could easily be adapted... Shrewsbury btw have a neat version...
(Logo top left)
UK Identity Cards What the Government Would Rather You Did Not Know
The Identity Cards Act was passed in 2006. As a result, when you apply for (or renew) your passport from about 2009 onwards, you will be forced to provide fingerprints and other sensitive personal data for recording on a massive government database called the National Identity Register from where it can be made available to the police (and others) without your knowledge or consent. Before the next election you can reject an ID card but if Labour retains power you will then be forced to have one.
The Cost for taxpayers will be about £6,000 million according to the government but independent studies suggest it could be as high as £18,000 million. That's equivalent to 60 new hospitals, 600 new schools, 15,000 more police or £3 a week on pensions.
ID Card Cost is hidden in passports. Ten years ago a Worcester family of four paid less than £90 for all their passports. When ID cards become compulsory this will be over £600.
The Claimed Benefits
Terrorism Ð there's no evidence that countries with ID cards suffer less from terrorism.
Crime Ð holding the fingerprints of all UK citizens will solve some crimes but will also result in wrongful convictions. All law abiding citizens will become suspects and we'll end up having to prove our innocence instead of the State having to prove our guilt.
Identity Fraud Ð more than 75% of identity fraud is in the private sector where itÕs the job of the banks, not the State, to counter it (which they do without taxpayer subsidy).
Benefit Fraud Ð is mostly the result of misrepresentation of circumstances rather than identity, the cost of the latter being very small in comparison with the cost of ID cards.
Illegal Working Ð only works if ID cards are compulsory for all potential employees; it turns employers into unpaid policemen and requires costly terminals, a major burden.
Illegal Immigration Ð there's no evidence that this is lower in countries with ID cards.
Nothing to Hide?
We'll certainly have plenty to
fear if we allow our sensitive identity data to fall into the wrong hands. Putting it all in one place makes it far more vulnerable to fraudsters and to inadvertent or deliberate actions that result in large scale data loss.
Bogus Officials.
Officials will be able to demand fingerprint checks from private citizens but not the other way round. For example, ID cards will do nothing to stop criminals who deliberately target older people by impersonating officials.
Civil Liberties.
Every law-abiding UK citizen will be treated as if they are a criminal. It's by far the most determined attack on our rights and freedoms in living memory.
Safety, Security and Privacy.
Data lost or stolen from the database will create serious risks for UK citizens. Errors in the identity database could mean that citizens will be denied access to public or private sector services. In effect they will become "non people".
The £1000 Penalty.
For failing to register when required to do so, and this can be repeated indefinitely. Moving house or changing address without telling the government. Failing to report a lost, stolen or damaged ID card, or even failing to return the ID card of a dead relative. Also a possible 2 year prison term for inadvertently but carelessly providing wrong information.
Join NO2ID (Worcestershire) if you object to this highly oppressive scheme.
Make a donation if you can afford to, and if you've found this note useful
Please copy it to your friends!
worcester@no2id.net 01905 735986 
