23 January 2008
As leaked documents reveal a radical change of direction at the Identity and Passport Service [1], a fundamental split has emerged
between what the Prime Minister has said [2] and what the IPS intends to do [3]. Reviewing the leaked documents today, NO2ID [4] highlighted
that though the Brown government is doggedly pursuing plans to rule Britain through massive government databases, it does not appear to be
in charge.
Phil Booth, NO2ID's National Coordinator, said:
"We have often said that ministers cannot really understand what they are doing with 'Transformational Government'– that they are so
entranced by the fantasy of managing everyone's life by computers in Whitehall that they are charging ahead with ID, careless of privacy,
liberty and the basic dignity of the citizen.
"But now it looks a little different. They are deluded and ruthless, but they are not in control. Mr Ticket Inspector Brown tells the
passengers we are on time and on the right track. But how would he know? It is a runaway train. And someone else is driving."
-ENDS-
Notes for editors
1) Britons' ID cards 'to be delayed', BBC News, 22/1/08 -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk
2) From Observer interview with Gordon Brown, 6/1/08:
[Observer]: So it would be that British citizens and non-British citizens would need them.
[Gordon Brown]: Yes, but under our proposals there is no compulsion for existing British citizens.
3) A bullet points on the leaked PowerPoint presentation, entitled 'NIS Delivery Strategy', says:
• Our first priority should be to issue cards to those who are employed in positions of trust where identity assurance is critical to
determining their appropriateness for that employment ("Trusted Relationships")
Clearly some British citizens will have no choice but to be registered for an ID card, if they want to keep their jobs.
4) NO2ID is the UK-wide non-partisan campaign against ID cards and the database state. See http://www.no2id.net/dbstate
'database state' initiatives that NO2ID is actively opposing.
For more information, or for immediate or future interview, please contact Phil Booth (National Coordinator,
national.coordinator@no2id.net) on 07974 230 839, Guy Herbert (General Secretary, general.secretary@no2id.net) on 07956 544 308, or Michael
Parker (Press Officer, press.officer@no2id.net) on 07773 376 166.
The NO2ID Campaign
Box 412
19-21 Crawford Street
London W1H 1PJ
enquiries@no2id.net
Tel: 07005 800 651
Press: click here
