Identity Cards - Un-British Or Vital? The ID Debate

[cypherpunks at privacyexposed.mailshell.com]

Identity Cards - Un-British Or Vital? The ID Debate
Alan Travis - Guardian (UK)

"As introduction becomes more likely, opinions differ on both ethical and
practical grounds. David Blunkett's suggestion that the introduction of
compulsory identity cards in Britain could be necessary as part of the fight
against terrorism yesterday stirred a range of criticism - from rightwing
libertarians who claimed it would be "un-British", to those who warned the
move would be ineffective and expensive. However, an opinion poll at the
weekend showed that 86% of people supported some form of ID card. The
government was seriously considering their introduction, Mr Blunkett said."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4263767,00.html

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The Identity Crisis
Independent Digital

"It's looking increasingly likely that, sooner rather than later, British
citizens may be required to carry identity cards. Many would welcome such a
development for safety's sake. But, says Thomas Sutcliffe, we underestimate
at our peril the danger to liberty. We can't be sure what Mrs Joyce Mew
would have made of David Blunkett's recent approving murmurs about the
introduction of identity cards - these are jittery times, after all, and
have startled many of us into unexpected postures - but the very little we
know of her life leads me to suspect that she might have taken a dim view."

http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=95810


Robert Andrews
PrivacyExposed.com
http://www.privacyexposed.com/news/01/09/25.htm