Labour to race ahead to introduce hated ID cards

Britannist · 18-04-2006, 09:12 PM

From the Financial Times website:

Labour races to introduce ID cards
By Jean Eaglesham and Maija Palmer
Published: April 17 2006 21:57 | Last updated: April 17 2006 21:57

Labour plans to race forward with the contentious identity cards scheme to ensure the multi-billion pound infrastructure is up and running before the next election, neutering a Tory pledge to scrap it.

David Cameron, the Conservative leader, this month said that ID cards were a monument to over-mighty government. “I promise you this – in office, we will pull it down,” he said.

But Andy Burnham, the home office minister responsible for the scheme, said Mr Cameron’s “throwaway line” would be rendered irrelevant by the rapid roll-out of the scheme. He said it would be a fait accompli by the 2008 or 2009 expected date of the next general election. “I’m keen to see plenty of ID cards in circulation come the next election,” he said. “The whole landscape will have changed by the time if – and it’s a big if – the Tories ever get anywhere near power.”

The Home Office is gearing up rapidly to start the multi-billion pound procurement process. Mr Burnham predicted companies would be keen to tender now the scheme had the necessary legal authority. The ID cards bill made it to the statute books on March 30 after a tortuous passage through Parliament. “Everything’s changing now we’ve got royal assent [for the bill]. The private sector’s engagement will change radically in the next few months,” Mr Burnham said.

Critics said the rush to push it through could exacerbate the risks of such a large information technology project. “Whitehall’s record of running large IT schemes has been more than lamentable,” Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said. However, companies considering bidding for work on the scheme appeared undaunted by the Tory threat.

Malcolm Stirling, executive for public services at CSC, said any breach clauses in the ID cards contracts would be examined “more closely than we might have done otherwise”.

John Carter · 18-04-2006, 09:59 PM

Yes please!

Rapid rollout = irretrievable errors = the whole thing committing suicide within a month.

Britannist · 18-04-2006, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Carter

Yes please!

Rapid rollout = irretrievable errors = the whole thing committing suicide within a month.

Hopefully ID cards will turn out as for Labour like the 'poll tax' did for the Conservatives. Labour need to face reality and hear the discontent of the people of this country.

mkpdavies · 19-04-2006, 08:40 AM

It will cost us all a fortune though and I bet a packet of Wagon Wheels that whatever party (troika parties that is) is in power, they will suddenly say "We have come so far, we can't turn back and waste all that money".

When you think of them all as one party, it becomes a lot easier to see how decison are made.

gfnewman · 19-04-2006, 09:07 AM

ID cards are just another nail in the coffin of democracy because, let's face it, democracy is dead and lies in that box waiting to be cremated.

There is no way that the present administration can have the national database up and running by the time the next election comes round. For a start the computer system to cope with it hasn't been built yet. And when (if) it is built it's administrators won't be able to cope with it.

In the government department I work I lost a folder of work on the computer system. When I went to ask for it to be restored from the back-up I was told that the previous night's back-up had failed as it had done for three nights. It then took the system administrators a week to find the folder and files by which time all the data I had carefully been collecting and working on was completely out of date.

The Government claim that the ID card system will prevent identity theft. I'm also concerned about identity loss - by the totalitarian rulers of this country.

mkpdavies · 19-04-2006, 09:31 AM

The ID card system will become a one stop shop for fraudsters and vilains. It is so flawed it is untrue, but that's if you think of it as a tool against vilains.

The real use and one that will work, is keeping the sheeple under control. You won't be able to function without one, UNLESS YOU ARE A CRIMINAL!

C_steam · 19-04-2006, 12:07 PM

I can't wait. The first time someone tries to do a retina scan on me I'm gonna roll on the floor, clutch my face and scream 'my eyes, my eyes, it burns!!! arrrrghhhhhhhhhhhh' and wait for the reaction.

mkpdavies · 19-04-2006, 12:50 PM

All you will get is

"Computer says no".

Peter_North · 19-04-2006, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Carter

Yes please!

Rapid rollout = irretrievable errors = the whole thing committing suicide within a month.

here here. Let it shoot itself down.

Peter_North · 19-04-2006, 01:08 PM

Is anyone esle concerned with the possibility of them finding out who you voted for with them. It's probably well rehearsed somewhere.

18-04-2006, 09:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
Britannist Uber Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: London Posts: 23,146	Labour to race ahead to introduce hated ID cards From the Financial Times website: Labour races to introduce ID cards By Jean Eaglesham and Maija Palmer Published: April 17 2006 21:57 \| Last updated: April 17 2006 21:57 Labour plans to race forward with the contentious identity cards scheme to ensure the multi-billion pound infrastructure is up and running before the next election, neutering a Tory pledge to scrap it. David Cameron, the Conservative leader, this month said that ID cards were a monument to over-mighty government. “I promise you this – in office, we will pull it down,” he said. But Andy Burnham, the home office minister responsible for the scheme, said Mr Cameron’s “throwaway line” would be rendered irrelevant by the rapid roll-out of the scheme. He said it would be a fait accompli by the 2008 or 2009 expected date of the next general election. “I’m keen to see plenty of ID cards in circulation come the next election,” he said. “The whole landscape will have changed by the time if – and it’s a big if – the Tories ever get anywhere near power.” The Home Office is gearing up rapidly to start the multi-billion pound procurement process. Mr Burnham predicted companies would be keen to tender now the scheme had the necessary legal authority. The ID cards bill made it to the statute books on March 30 after a tortuous passage through Parliament. “Everything’s changing now we’ve got royal assent [for the bill]. The private sector’s engagement will change radically in the next few months,” Mr Burnham said. Critics said the rush to push it through could exacerbate the risks of such a large information technology project. “Whitehall’s record of running large IT schemes has been more than lamentable,” Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said. However, companies considering bidding for work on the scheme appeared undaunted by the Tory threat. Malcolm Stirling, executive for public services at CSC, said any breach clauses in the ID cards contracts would be examined “more closely than we might have done otherwise”.

19-04-2006, 08:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 32,059 Party: Libertarian Party	It will cost us all a fortune though and I bet a packet of Wagon Wheels that whatever party (troika parties that is) is in power, they will suddenly say "We have come so far, we can't turn back and waste all that money". When you think of them all as one party, it becomes a lot easier to see how decison are made. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Lib Dems

19-04-2006, 09:31 AM	#6 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 32,059 Party: Libertarian Party	The ID card system will become a one stop shop for fraudsters and vilains. It is so flawed it is untrue, but that's if you think of it as a tool against vilains. The real use and one that will work, is keeping the sheeple under control. You won't be able to function without one, UNLESS YOU ARE A CRIMINAL! __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Lib Dems

19-04-2006, 12:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 32,059 Party: Libertarian Party	All you will get is "Computer says no". __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Lib Dems

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18-04-2006, 09:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
John Carter Uber Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: On Sabbatical Posts: 5,110	Yes please! Rapid rollout = irretrievable errors = the whole thing committing suicide within a month.

19-04-2006, 09:07 AM	#5 (permalink)
gfnewman Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bristol Posts: 69	ID cards are just another nail in the coffin of democracy because, let's face it, democracy is dead and lies in that box waiting to be cremated. There is no way that the present administration can have the national database up and running by the time the next election comes round. For a start the computer system to cope with it hasn't been built yet. And when (if) it is built it's administrators won't be able to cope with it. In the government department I work I lost a folder of work on the computer system. When I went to ask for it to be restored from the back-up I was told that the previous night's back-up had failed as it had done for three nights. It then took the system administrators a week to find the folder and files by which time all the data I had carefully been collecting and working on was completely out of date. The Government claim that the ID card system will prevent identity theft. I'm also concerned about identity loss - by the totalitarian rulers of this country.

19-04-2006, 12:07 PM	#7 (permalink)
C_steam Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Paddling up 5hit creek..... Posts: 7,964	I can't wait. The first time someone tries to do a retina scan on me I'm gonna roll on the floor, clutch my face and scream 'my eyes, my eyes, it burns!!! arrrrghhhhhhhhhhhh' and wait for the reaction.

19-04-2006, 01:08 PM	#10 (permalink)
Peter_North Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 350	Is anyone esle concerned with the possibility of them finding out who you voted for with them. It's probably well rehearsed somewhere.