Originally Posted by Eurosceptic Atlanticist

What's the point of having them then, if you've already admitted that they won't stop terrorism? I thought that was your original argument.

Originally Posted by Eurosceptic Atlanticist

Why do you want to track the general population?

Originally Posted by Eurosceptic Atlanticist

Having a passport is a voluntary document, having an ID card is not optional. A passport also does not carry my iris scan, finger print and/or DNA.

Originally Posted by Eurosceptic Atlanticist

From the Conservatives: ID cards won't prevent illegal immigration: Foreign visitors will not have to have an ID card, unless they plan to stay in the UK for more than three months.

From the Lib Dems:The Home Office wants to make it compulsory for people to present their card when applying for a job in the UK, and claims that this will prevent illegal working. But employers in industries with high levels of illegal labour are already required to check identity documents. The problem is that the Home Office doesn’t inspect them to make sure they are following the rules. There were only 2 prosecutions for employing an illegal worker in 2003. The fact that illegal immigrants will not be able to get ID cards will not change anything as long as there are unscrupulous employers and lax Home Office enforcement.

Originally Posted by Eurosceptic Atlanticist

I dispute the law isn't bad, but assuming for a moment that it isn't - if anything the incidents with the councils and the Terrorism Acts just goes to prove that you can't trust the "honest intentions" of the government with such powers - they'll be abused.

Originally Posted by Eurosceptic Atlanticist

We already have the longest detention times in the Western world. Please tell me why 90 days is necessary.

"Liberty staff interviewed terrorism specialists and lawyers in 15 countries.

Their research found that in the U.S. the detention limit is two days, in France it is six, Italy four and in Turkey suspects can be held for 7-1/2 days.

In Spain, where 191 people died in the 2004 Madrid train bombings, there is a five-day detention limit. The closest any country comes to Britain's month-long limit is Australia with 12 days."


Britain has longest terrorism detention | UK | Reuters


UK terror detention limit is longest of any democracy | UK news | The Guardian

Originally Posted by Eurosceptic Atlanticist

First off, what's wrong with legal immigrants?

Secondly, we do not need new laws to tackle the others issues you mention, we need better enforcement of existing legislation.