6 November 2006
Writing in the Telegraph today and at his monthly press conference [1], Tony Blair has reasserted his commitment to introduce compulsory ID cards by
merely rehashing a series of already-refuted arguments. Clearly desperate to recover from the bad press surrounding last week`s report from the
Information Commissioner and Britain`s appalling showing in the international privacy league tables [2], the Prime Minister`s assertions do
not stand up to scrutiny.
Phil Booth, NO2ID`s [3] National Coordinator said:
"The Prime Minister has nothing new to say, and even less to show for the tens of millions already spent on the ID scheme. But far worse than all the
secrecy and spin surrounding the programme is the liberty he takes with the truth, and intends to take from us all.
"Mr Blair quotes the utterly discredited Home Office figures on `identity fraud` [4] yet again, and claims that the bulk of the multi-billion pound
cost of the scheme will be spent on upgrading passports that already comply with US and international requirements. Can he explain how the Irish
government has been able to introduce biometric passports in just seven months and for only £4 million [5]?
"His appeals to `public concerns` border on xenophobia and completely ignore the dramatic fall in support for ID cards [6] and the 71% [7] who believe
personal information on a state database would be "leaked, sold, hacked into or in other ways used improperly". The vast majority of people do not want
to be treated like numbers or common criminals.
"Mr Blair baldly asserts that civil liberties are `outdated` and should be swept aside by technology, proving just how little he and his government can
be trusted when it comes to our privacy and freedoms."
-ENDS-
Notes for editors:
1. Tony Blair, ‘We need ID cards to secure our borders and ease modern life’, 6/11/06 -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2006/11/06/do0601.xml&sSheet=/opinion/2006/11/06/ixopinion.html
and the PM’s monthly press conference, reported on the BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6120220.stm
2. The Information Commissioner’s full report on the ‘Surveillance Society’ [102 page PDF]:http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/data_protection/practical_application/surveillance_society_full_report_2006.pdf
and the 2006 EPIC & PI international privacy league tables:
http://www.privacyinternational.org/survey/phr2005/phrtable.pdf
3. NO2ID is the non-partisan national campaign against ID cards and the database state. See
http://www.no2id.net/
4. The £1.7 billion figure has been refuted in detail many times, here is one such breakdown:
http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/0,3800010403,39156140,00.htm
5. ‘Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern TD, launches new ePassport’, 16/10/06 -
http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie/Press_Releases/20061016/2184.htm
6. YouGov applauds NO2ID ICM poll -http://www.ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/279#comments
7. YouGov Telegraph poll, Feb 2006 -
http://www.yougov.com/archives/pdf/TEL060101004_2.pdf
For further information, or for immediate or future interview, please contact Phil Booth (National Co-ordinator, national.coordinator@no2id.net)
07974 230 839 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
