Exeter No2ID on Liverpool City Council's rejection of the National Identity Scheme

By PRSD, on Friday, December 11, 2009

Exeter No2ID are keeping us informed with the progress of the National Identity Scheme, the latest news they have is from Liverpool City Council, which passed a motion – with the full support of the Labour group – rejecting the government’s ID card scheme.

They say the motion, prompted by reports that Liverpool may follow Manchester as a ‘beacon city’ for the roll out of the National Identity Scheme, bans the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) from using any council-controlled premises or facilities to promote the
scheme.

And there we were thinking Gordon Brown had put the kibosh on the scheme during his speech at the Labour Party Conference.

No2ID says: “The ‘voluntary’ pilot scheme is an ID Card Con. Anyone induced to pay £30 for an ID card also has to be fingerprinted, photographed and interviewed by the IPS, and becomes subject for life to regulations issued by the Home Office under the Identity Cards Act. Their personal information may be passed to other government departments, their use of the card is tracked, and they must report any change in personal circumstances to the IPS or face penalties of up to £1,000.”

Phil Booth, NO2ID’s National Coordinator, said: “Neither the people of Liverpool nor their elected representatives have been conned. We particularly congratulate Labour councillors for taking their constituents’ sides against the Home Office’s favorite surveillance scheme, even if a Labour Home Secretary complacently lets the bureaucrats steam on, spending uncounted millions in the biggest ID theft of all.”

• Beware the IDs’ march? What do you reckon on the National Identity Scheme?