NO2ID News No. 105
28 August 2008
++ DIG DEEP TO FIGHT THE DATABASE STATE ++
With party conferences* imminent, the database state is higher than
ever on the political agenda - due in no small part to NO2ID and its
supporters (YOU!) working hard to raise awareness locally and
nationally. But the battle is intensifying.
Autumn 2008 will be particularly busy, with key elements of the
database state - including ContactPoint (a register of all children and
their parents), eBorders (collecting information about the movements of
everyone) and the Communications Data Bill (phone, e-mail and internet
snooping) - poised to roll forward. The Home Office will start issuing
'ID cards' to non-EEA foreign nationals by the end of the year, with
airside workers not far behind.
There's a huge amount still to do, which is why we're extremely pleased
to be able to announce a new matched funding initiative.
>From 1st September 2008, the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd has
generously agreed to match, pound for pound, any *new* income that
NO2ID receives. Which means that for every pound you give from 1st
September NO2ID will receive TWO pounds to spend campaigning against
the ID scheme and database state.
Please send your donation by cheque to our office (please mark your
envelope 'JRRT'):
The NO2ID Campaign
Box 412
19-21 Crawford Street
London W1H 1PJ
Or you can donate by credit card or via PayPal using the 'Donate'
button on our website,
http://www.no2id.net (left hand column)
Double your money offers like this don't come along very often so
please, dig deep - encourage your friends, family and colleagues to
make a donation. With your help we can stop this.
--
* A big thank-you to everyone who volunteered to help out at NO2ID's
various events at the party conferences.
What's next?
+ Correction - Scottish National Party conference +
The Scottish National Party conference is actually
16-19th October, not September as listed in the last newsletter.
+ Consultation on Data Retention Directive +
The government has launched a consultation on the Electronic
Communications Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations. Responses
should be sent by 31st October by e-mail to
commsdata@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
or by post to Andrew Knight, Home Office, 5th Floor, Peel Building, 2
Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF.
See
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/cons-2008-transposition?view=Binary
+ 8th September — NO2ID at TUC Congress +
Monday, 8th September at the Brighthelm Centre, North Road, Brighton,
East Sussex BN1 1YD. NO2ID will be holding a fringe meeting to discuss
the imminent impact of the ID scheme and what can be done about it.
Chair: Christina Zaba, NO2ID Union Liaison. Speakers: TBC. Doors open
at 6:30pm for a 7:00pm start.
+ LOCAL GROUPS NEWS +
We now have local groups in 44 of the 69 proposed locations for
interrogation centres - of which just 3 have yet to open. Parliamentary
answers indicate that the most active centres are: Belfast, Birmingham,
Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Newport,
Peterborough and Sheffield.
For information on your nearest interrogation centre, see
www.no2id.net/getInvolved/idCentres.php.
If you can help set up a local group in one of the remaining locations,
or anywhere else in the UK, please contact Matty on
local.groups@no2id.net
+ Bradford +
Bradford NO2ID have been canvassing their city councillors to see who
opposes ID cards - so far they have had only 25 responses out of 90,
having requested the information twice. If you live in Bradford and
fancy sending your councillor a quick email or letter to prompt them
then please contact
Bradford@no2id.net and see if
your councillor has
responded.
+ 30th August - Bradford NO2ID Street Stall +
Saturday, 30th August meeting in the city centre outside Zavi from
12pm. Bradford NO2ID are following up their succesful first stall with
another, email
Bradford@no2id.net if you can
lend a hand.
+ 10th September - Bradford NO2ID Meeting (2nd Wednesday of the
month) +
Every second Wednesday of the month 6:30pm at Bradford Resource Centre,
17-21 Chapel Street, Bradford, BD1 5DT.
+ Bristol +
+ 3rd September - Bristol NO2ID meeting +
Wednesday, 3rd September at Tinto Lounge on Cotham Hill from 7 - 8pm.
Come and meet your friendly local campaigners.
+ Cambridge +
+ 3rd - September NO2ID pub meeting (1st Wednesday of each
month) +
Wednesday, 3rd September 7.30pm at the Salisbury Arms, 76 Tenison Rd,
Cambridge CB1 2DW (
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=cb1+2dw).
For more details contact
cambridge@no2id.net, or
text/call Andrew on 07710 469624.
+ 13th September - NO2ID Cambridge Stall +
Saturday, 13th September at 10am in the usual spot outside Cambridge
Guildhall. Location Map:
http://tinyurl.com/eo42r. As ever,
volunteers to help very welcome - please email
cambridge@no2id.net,
or text/call Andrew on 07710 469624 if you can make it.
+ 12th October - "Taking Liberties" +
Sunday, 12th October 8pm at 22 Jesus Lane, Cambridge CB5 8BQ. Doors
open 7:30pm. Cambridge NO2ID and the Cafe Project
(
http://www.cafeproject.org/)
are co-hosting a free showing of the
acclaimed documentary "Taking Liberties". For more information on the
film see
http://www.noliberties.com/
+ Camden and Islington +
+ 1st September - Camden and Islington NO2ID Meeting +
Monday, 1st September at 8pm. We'll be at our new(ish) venue, The
Castle, 54 Pentonville Road, London. We'll try and sit at the big table
on the top level at the back of the pub - if not, just look for the
table with the NO2ID flyers. Nearest tube is either Angel or Kings
Cross.
http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/clubs_bars/venue-2471.php
+ 6th September - Stall in Hackney +
Next stall is at the St Barnabas Fete in Mile End (together with the
Hackney
Group) on Saturday September 6th from 10am till
7pm. Help always welcome.
Contact Matty on
camden@no2id.net if you'd like to
join in with any
activity or join the emailing list on
http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.camden
+ Cromer +
+ 1st September - Cromer NO2ID Meeting (1st Monday of each month) +
Monday, 1st September at 7:30pm, at The White Horse Inn, West Street,
Cromer.
+ Dorking +
+ 2nd September - Dorking NO2ID Meeting (1st Tuesday of Month) +
Tuesday, 2nd September at 7.30pm at the Lincoln Arms.
+ 6th, 13th, 20th September - Dorking NO2ID Street Stall +
Saturday 6th, 13th, 20th September - 3 street stalls in 3 weeks to
maximise publicity of our “Question Time” public meeting.
+ 25th September - "Question Time" Public Meeting +
Thursday, 25th September at 8.00pm at the Christian Centre, St Martin’s
Church, Dorking. Local NO2ID’ers please come along to this event and
make yourself known....bring a friend.
+ Dover +
+ 30th August - NO2ID Dover Street Stall +
Saturday, 30th August, from approx. 10am for at least a couple of hours
(weather permitting) at the top of Biggin Street precinct (by Prince
Albert pub)/in front of war memorial and Town Council office, near Town
Hall. As much help from supporters as possible welcome.
+ 30th August - NO2ID Gig Night (Live Music and NO2ID
information) +
Saturday, 30th August at The Whole Earth Café, The Old High Street,
Folkestone. The café will be open to the public with food and drink on
sale. Help from supporters welcome. The lead act band will be “The
Mercurials”.
+ Edinburgh +
Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh street stall
Every week, weather permitting, you will find our campaigning stall at
the east end of Princes Street, opposite the Balmoral Hotel. Do drop
by for a chat. New volunteers - please contact John (
edinburgh@no2id.net),
and for more group information see
http://www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/
+ Epsom +
Epsom Group is newly formed and we still need a few
more members and someone who could act as local coordinator. Next
meeting tba.
+ 6th September - NO2ID Epsom Street Stall +
Saturday, 6th September between the Clocktower and the crossroads in
the centre of town. With thanks to Dorking Group who are lending us
their street stall kit. If you are a local member and haven’t got in
touch, please come along and introduce yourself at the stall or contact
epsom@no2id.net
or Geoff on 01306 631377.
+ Glasgow +
Most Saturdays 2pm - NO2ID Glasgow street stall
Most Saturdays there are stalls in Glasgow city centre (usually
Buchanan Street) from about 2pm. Volunteers are always welcome, please
contact Geraint if you would like to help:
glasgow@no2id.net
+ 2nd September - Glasgow NO2ID Meeting +
Tuesday, 2nd September at 8pm in Mono, Kings St. Glasgow G1 5RB
+ Hackney +
+ 3rd September - Hackney NO2ID Meeting +
Wednesday, 3rd September 7pm at Pembury Tavern (junction of Amhurst
Road /Dalston Lane / Pembury Road, E8). Through regular data losses,
the Government is trying very hard to scupper its own IT projects. Come
and discuss what you'd like to do in Hackney to help them along by
defeating the ID scheme.
+ Kensignton & Chelsea +
+ 17th to 20th September 2008 - NO2ID Kensinton & Chelsea Stall +
Wednesday, 17th September to Saturday, 20th September Kensington and
Chelsea NO2ID will have a stall at the Westbourne Grove Church, London
W11 as part of the Life and Liberty Exhibition with film shows and
speakers including Guy Herbert. For more details see
(
http://www.westbournegrovechurch.org/html/life_and_liberty.html).
We
will be selling mugs as well as handing out leaflets and asking for
signatures. If any one would like to help please contact Jill Manasseh.
+ Leeds +
+ 4th September - Leeds NO2ID Meeting +
Thursday, 4th September at Leeds University Union, email
leeds@no2id.net
for more details.
+ Leicester +
During our recent leafletting we met someone
who was given one of a set of pilot ID cards which were trialled in
Leicester some 3 or 4 years ago. You will all doubtless be amused to
know that, according to this chap, whenever it was scanned the iris
print feature of his card kept identifying him as a young woman living
in London... plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose. Does anyone else
have info on this kind of pilot project, or is this card of any
interest to anyone?
+ 30th August - Leicester NO2ID Street Stall +
Saturday, 30th August from 1pm by the Clock Tower at Gallow Tree Gate.
Anyone able to help out should email Jon or Avtar on (
leicster@no2id.net).
If you're not able to attend but are interested in the work of
Leicester NO2ID, please join the mailing list at:
http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.leicester
+ Manchester +
Manchester NO2ID has a very busy September coming up; you can check
full details at
http://manchester.no2id.net/event/2008/09/01/month
For updates and discussion, join the Manchester NO2ID mailing list at
http://manchester.no2id.net/
+ 13th September - Manchester NO2ID Street Stall +
Saturday, 13th September 2pm-4pm in St. Ann's Square to raise awareness
among the public and engage people in discussion about the National
Identity Register. This is the last street stall before the Labour
Party Conference and our Public Meeting, so an extra big presence is
needed to inform as many people as possible. Just turn up in the square
at the start time and look for the NO2ID stall.
http://manchester.no2id.net/content/street-stall-september-2008
+ 17th September - Manchester NO2ID Meeting +
Wednesday, 17th September from 7pm-9pm in the Town Hall Tavern, Tib
Lane, Manchester . Sadly this venue is not wheelchair-accessible;
please contact us on
manchester@no2id.net if you
have accessibility
needs. This is our last meeting before the Labour Party Conference.
+ 20th September - "Defend Civil Liberties" March +
On Saturday 20th, Greater Manchester Stop The War Coalition is leading
a march through Manchester as the Labour Party Conference opens, on
three themes, one of which is "Defend Civil Liberties". If you're
interested in joining a NO2ID bloc on the march please contact us on
manchester@no2id.net
- if we can get a dozen people marching under a
NO2ID banner it'd look good.
+ 20th September - Round table gathering against Database State +
Saturday 20th, 4:30pm-6:30pm, at the Friends Meeting House, Mount
Street (behind Central Library). As part of the Convention of the Left,
NO2ID, Defy-ID and friends present a round-table gathering of
organisations opposed to ID cards and the Database State to share
information, develop tactics and network. With NO2ID local groups
co-ordinator Matty Mitford, and northwest regional co-ordinator Dave
Page.
+ 22nd-24th September - Manchester Students Against ID at Freshers
Fair +
22nd-24th September, Manchester Students Against ID will be getting off
to a strong start at Fresher's Fair, talking about the dangers of the
National Identity Register to new students. We need volunteers for our
stall - if you can spare a few hours to smile and hand out leaflets and
badges, please sign up at
http://doodle.ch/wr22xw3q84g2cer7
+ 22nd - 24th September - Manchester NO2ID at the Labour Party
Conference +
22nd-24th September, Manchester NO2ID will be flyering conference
delegates at the main security gate outside the Midland Hotel from 9am
to 10am. If you can spare a bit of time before work, please drop by and
grab a handful of flyers. Nearest Metrolink is St. Peter's Square;
nearest train station is Oxford Road.
+ 22nd September - NO2ID Labour Conference Fringe Debate +
Monday 22nd September from 1pm-2pm at the Midland Hotel, Manchester.
National NO2ID co-ordinator Phil Booth will be at the official fringe
debate "National ID Cards - will they prevent underage sales?"
+ 23rd September - Manchester Public Meeting +
Tuesday 23rd September 7pm at the Reynolds Building, Sackville Street
Campus, University of Manchester. Manchester NO2ID and the Manchester
branch of the British Computer Society present "Privacy and Security in
the Database State", a public meeting. All welcome. Speakers include
national NO2ID co-ordinator Phil Booth.
+ Mold +
+ 8th September - 1st NO2ID Mold Meeting (1st Monday of every
month after that)+
Monday, 8th September at Y Delyn Wine Bar, King Street, Mold, CH7 1LA.
Contact Sophie McKeand on
mold@no2id.net or join the mailing
list at:
http://lists.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.mold
+ Selby +
Selby's NO2ID song still going strong
The 2 postings of Selby's NO2ID song now have over 2,600 youtube
viewings. Anyone interested can view at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9HsnIGuHQQ
- please pass along, it's
had good responses up to now.
+ 6th September - Selby NO2ID Street Stall, York +
Saturday, 6th September 10.30am, meet Parliament Street.
+ 13th September - Selby NO2ID Street Stall, Pontefract +
Saturday, 13th September - time & place to be confirmed.
+ 16th September - Selby NO2ID Meeting +
Tuesday, 16th September 8pm at the Blue Bell, Monk Fryston.
+ Southampton +
+ 3rd September - Southampton NO2ID Meeting (1st Wednesday of
the month) +
Wednesday 3rd September 8pm at the Dolphin pub, Osborne Road South,
Southampton (next to St Denys train station). All are welcome.
+ Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells+
Stalls continue frequently in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge. If you
want to have a taster of debating on the street alongside the more
battle-hardened members do drop us a line at
tunbridge.wells@no2id.net
and we'll be delighted to find you a place on the rota. It's good fun
and rewarding to see passers by reactions as they learn the facts.
+ 30th September - Street Stall Tunbridge Wells +
Saturday, 30th September in Tunbridge Wells on the pedestrian precinct.
If you want to just meet some of the NO2ID crowd drop by and say hello
- you certainly don't have to take part in the stall if it's not your
thing.
+ 16th October - "The Database State" debate +
Thursday, 16th October at The Skinners' School in Tunbridge Wells. This
is an open public debate between students of TWGGS and Skinners, at
which invited "witnesses" (so far - Phil Booth and Daniel Zeichner)
will be questioned by the students under the chairmanship of Greg Clark
MP. We thank The Right Hon Meg Hillier and her secretaries for actively
considering for the past 6 weeks our invitation to her to participate;
we hope very much that she will feel up to the challenge of an open,
public and independent debate on her portfolio topic and government
policy. Watch this space.
+ Watford +
+ 2nd September - Watford NO2ID 1st Meeting +
Tuesday, 2nd September 7.15pm at the Estcourt Tavern pub, Estcourt Rd,
WD1 2PY (parallel to Clarendon Rd, just up from Watford Junction rail
station). Everyone is welcome, newcomer or not, curious or committed.
Please bring a friend. For further details feel free to contact Emma
Simmons on (
watford@no2id.net). If you're
unable to attend, but are interested in the activity of the group,
please join the local mailing list on:
http://lists.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.watford
What just happened?
+ Border Agency Plan reveals latest ID scheme details +
Last week the UK Border Agency published a new Action Plan entitled 'A
Strong New Force at the Border'. The document lays out the government's
vision of "securing the border". Part of this plan is the introduction
of ID cards for foreign nationals. The plan states that by 2011 "30% of
resident foreign nationals [will] have an ID card", and furthermore
that also
in 2011 students and young people will be "given the opportunity to get
identity cards". The document also hints at the ability to revoke
'privileges' of those enrolled in the ID scheme: "We will issue ID
cards to foreign nationals to help deny the privileges of Britain to
those who break the rules". What is clear is that the powers that the
Border Agency claim will "secure our border" are in reality about the
mass-surveillance of travellers, and the data collected will be shared
with other agencies and governments.
Read the report at
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/managingourborders/astrongnewforceattheborder/strongnewforce.pdf?view=Binary
+ Calls for Data Sharing disguised as census bashing +
The New Local Government Network (NLGN) has produced a report "Local
Counts - The future of the census". At first the report looks like a
straightforward criticism of the cost of the census: "£500 million of
public money could be wasted on the next census," says the NLGN.
However the solution they put forward is more databases and
data-sharing. The NLGN is wrong to suggest that the census be replaced
by information sharing and use of more government databases to compile
census-like information. No replacement is required. Millions would be
saved, and privacy protected far better, if the government just used
some simple sampling research.
See
http://www.nlgn.org.uk/public/wp-content/uploads/local-counts.pdf
+ The malign power of platitudes +
Whenever doubts about nationwide computerised health records or DNA
banks or ID cards or biometric passports come up, someone will smugly
say: “If you’ve done nothing wrong you’ve nothing to worry about.” Read
more at
http://www.no2id.net/newsblog/?p=929
"ID" in the news
+ Selling addresses from electoral roll to junk mail companies
harming democracy - The Times 26/8/08 +
Junk mail companies should not be allowed to buy names and addresses
from the electoral register, polling officers believe.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4608326.ece
+ Child protection database 'will be used to prosecute young people'
- The Telegraph 26/8/08 +
A flagship database intended to protect every child in the country will
be used by police to hunt for evidence of crime in a "shocking"
extension of its original purpose, The Daily Telegraph has learned.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2621163/Child-protection-database-will-be-used-to-prosecute-young-people.html
+ Police hunting criminals will have access to child database - The
Times 26/8/08 +
Police are to be given access to the Government’s new children’s
database, which is designed to protect every child in England from the
risk of harm or abuse, in order to search for evidence of criminal
activity.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4609088.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797084
+ Consultants who lost data are working on ID cards - The
Independent 23/8/08 +
The Home Office contractor which lost a computer memory stick
containing the details of 84,000 prisoners is at the heart of
developing the Government's controversial compulsory identity cards
system.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/consultants-who-lost-data-are-working-on-id-cards-906531.html
+ Prisoner data breach firm paid £100m - silicon.com 22/8/08 +
The management consultancy firm at the centre of the latest government
data breach storm has been paid almost £100m over three years for its
services by the Home Office and its agencies, with individual
consultants from the company being charged to the department at an
average of more than £1,000 per day
http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/0,3800010403,39274258,00.htm
+ Most youth ID cards delayed until 2011 - Kable 20/8/08 +
The Home Office will wait until 2011 to issue the 'vast majority' of
identity cards to students and young people. The National Identity
Scheme Delivery Plan, issued by the Home Office in March, said: "We
will offer identity cards to young people in 2010 to assist them in
proving their identity as they, for example, open their first bank
account, take out a student loan or start employment."
http://www.kablenet.com/kd.nsf/Frontpage/F9509DA3BA40F939802574AB00355FC9?OpenDocument
+ Personal details of 4 million lost by Whitehall in just one year -
The Telegraph 20/8/08 +
Sensitive data for more than four million people was lost by Government
departments in the past year, on top of the high profile loss of child
benefit records.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2587380/Personal-details-of-4-million-lost-by-Whitehall-in-just-one-year.html
+ ID card 'propaganda' backfires as students revolt - The Times
18/8/08 +
Trust Britain’s youth to be characteristically ungrateful. The
Government goes to all the effort of making a website for 16 to 25-
year-olds to express their views on identity cards, and all they get in
return is a solid mixture of scorn, sneering and scepticism smattered
across their fancy new forums.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/student/article4513723.ece
+ ID card scheme could be blighted by bad fingerprints - The
Telegraph 15/8/08 +
Home Office ministers have been told that it is "hard to obtain good
quality fingerprints" from people over the age of 75, because the
ridges on the pads of their fingers are not well defined enough to be
read by an automatic scanner. This means the integrity of the national
identity scheme, which depends on ten prints being collected from
everyone in Britain over 16, may be compromised.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/2562643/ID-card-scheme-could-be-blighted-by-bad-fingerprints.html
+ NHS database awaits legal diagnosis - The First Post 12/8/08 +
Government IT projects have a pretty poor reputation. They turn up
late, cost twice as much as you expect, and don't work when they
arrive.
But the NHS looks set to go one better. Legal experts are warning that
its £6bn database could actually breach your human rights.
http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/45094,opinion,recent-eu-court-judgment-could-scupper-the-6bn-nhs-patient-database
+ The dirty secret of your NHS - Daily Mail 24/7/08 +
Under the pretence of recycling, NHS computers have been dumped in
Ghana, where their hard drives are mined of your confidential data by
criminal gangs... while children die melting down the highly toxic
empty shells.
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/moslive/article-1033832/The-Dirty-Secret-Your-NHS.html
(Please send me any items of interest you encounter - Editor(
newsletter@no2id.net)
)
Publication details: © NO2ID 2010 - This document may be freely redistributed
in one-to-one communications or physical copies as long as it is reproduced
in its entirety including this notice. It may not be mass-mailed without
the prior permission of NO2ID.
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