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We just can't afford ID cards

WITH an estimated cost in the billions and disputed benefits, ID cards are a controversial proposal at the best of times.

Civil liberties campaigners have fought against them for years, and I have no faith in the Government’s ability to make any national ID card scheme and associated computer database work properly. I also instinctively dislike the idea of carrying formal documents of identity to be produced on demand to government officials.

It has now been revealed that more than £200m has already been spent, with contracts for a further £1bn signed, in order to push forward their introduction.

Given the huge hole in the budget, and that any new Conservative government is committed to scrapping the scheme, it would be wise to put any further spending on hold until after the next General Election.

Whatever the election result, it is likely the ID card scheme will need to be reconsidered; I would much rather see money spent on education, health or any number of other priorities.

Perhaps our Labour MPs will let us know what they are going to cut in order to pay for ID cards.

We all know money is tight and it is time they made their priorities clear.

James Wharton, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Stockton South.

Comments(17)

Super steve says...
9:36am Thu 6 Aug 09

They dont work either, they can only function if your borders are completely secure otherwise Terrorists can easily access the UK like the hundreds of thousands of illegal economic migrants that pour into the UK each year. And they dont stop atrocities or improve detection , the Spanish have ID cards and it did not prevent the Madrid train bombs.

ID cards serrve only one purpose that is to help subjugate a population.

David Lacey says...
11:10am Thu 6 Aug 09

Gentlemen

If there is one reason to vote Tory next year it is that this mad scheme will be dropped. Unfortunately - apart from the fact that they aren't Labour - I can't think of another!

Super steve says...
2:48pm Thu 6 Aug 09

David Lacey wrote:
Gentlemen If there is one reason to vote Tory next year it is that this mad scheme will be dropped. Unfortunately - apart from the fact that they aren't Labour - I can't think of another!
Sorry David even with my pathological hatred for New Labour and the absolute misery they have created, I could not return to voting conservative again,we need something fresh, something honest, and while the tories are light years ahead of New labour they are not what the UK needs right now.

What we need is to close our borders, not have silly innefective quota schemes ito import more benefit dwellers ( Judge Trigger was right) We need not only a referedum on the EU but to withdraw from the EU on two grounds at least, (1) To save £220 million pounds a week (2) to get way from Socialism and the formative EUSSR. We need a party that will put Britain and the British first. A party that will stop the 180 Billion pounds a year wasted on benefit dwellors, A party that does not fine home owners who over fill their bins more than they fine shoplifters. Someone who will scrap the multi billion useless ID card scheme ( Labour said it was utterly foolproof and unforgable, it took one guy ten minutes to clone and alter an ID card only today according to the papers this morning. But what we also need is the right to self defence to be clarified in a simple form and allow home owners and victims of violent crime to not face any charges if they kill or main a burglar or mugger/ rapist. Far to long this country has pampered to the scum from the gutter and not the victims of crime. I honestly feel that no decent god fearing law abidding person will ever vote Liebour yet again, Except for that little clique who like to line their pockets at our expense.

JS2 says...
3:08pm Thu 6 Aug 09

Why don't the parties complain to the French, (incidentally one of the reason bogus asylum seekers keep away from France is because suspicous characters walking the streets are asked for the indentiy cards) and Spain etc where ID cards are compulsory. They are also compulsory in Australia etc and it doesn't stop many Brits emigrating there or wanting to. I've just had a personal pension document of many pages and 3 pages asking for forms of identity, even though I supplied this information a couple of years ago. Do they think I'm someone else, it's a nightmare for someone (especially who's lived in the UK for generations ie natural Brits) to prove who they are if they haven't got a passport or driving licence. Though with ID cards they will probably want these things too, when they know not everyone has a passport or driving licence especially the elderly. And when of pension age or trying to open a bank account (they are doing away with the used to be called giro cheques some still get pensions benefits etc paid this way) and forcing pensioners and the vulnerable to open bank accounts. A way of spying on how much savings someone has perhaps so they don't pay to much in Old Age pensions etc.

Geraldine Hooker says...
3:16pm Thu 6 Aug 09

That's is the main problem Steve, yon Mr Lacey says he's politicaly neutral, or I think I saw him say that in another posting, but he always comes around to the "voting Tory" too often.
Perhaps you like myself, consider that there is not a single party, Tory, NuLabour or even LibDem, have it in them to do anything at all about the things that trouble the British people.
Not one party has the nous to sort out the problems of this country, ID cards are simply a sideshow, they will never come in, under Labour.
All the parties are gutless, in fact, the political system in this country is worse than useless, all the 3 main parties, but mainly the big two, can only squabble and look after their own interests, not one of them know how to care for the interests of all the population of this country...yes Mr Lacey, socialists have just as much right to be happy in their country as the Tories do.
Time to get right away from party politics, and soon.

David Lacey says...
4:20pm Thu 6 Aug 09

Just be clear Geraldine the Tories disgust me, but not quite as much as Labour. I could never vote for either. As for "socialists have just as much right to be happy in their country as the Tories do" I agree as long as their happiness is not bought with my taxes.

Adam Walker says...
4:57pm Thu 6 Aug 09

ID cards are another control method just like the threat of terrorism, political correctness, CCTV cameras etc.

People are easy to control when they are afraid.

Lets face it, unless we start waking up to what our political masters have planned for us, this great country of ours is going to be very different in the not so distant future.

Super Steve.....

Under a British National Party Govenment your wishes would be granted. Wouldnt it be a refreshing change to have a Govenment that will not adopted the new religion of Political Correctness?

JS2 says...
5:31pm Thu 6 Aug 09

Time I stopped buying the Northern Echo as many others have done.

CTRILEY says...
5:36pm Thu 6 Aug 09

There are sometimes where prove of ID has to be provided (opening a bank account, registering with a job agency, etc.) which are perfectly ok.

Adam, since your face is well know as is your connection with the party you represent. Other than the hassle you and brother have often received,
have you or your brother ever had been stopped in the street and asked to provide id by Police, etc., in circumstances where if you were someone else you wouldn't have been stopped let alone asked?

For if the answer is "yes", then does this not speak volumes?

Dean M says...
5:37pm Thu 6 Aug 09

David Lacey wrote:
Gentlemen If there is one reason to vote Tory next year it is that this mad scheme will be dropped. Unfortunately - apart from the fact that they aren't Labour - I can't think of another!
On the topic of I.D. Cards alone, and on the basis (and I would suggest it's a reasonable basis) that the next government will be either Conservative or Labour, then David Lacey is of course quite right.

Whether this one reason is enough to attract voters is something I'm sure we'll find out from the pollsters in due course.

Super steve says...
6:02pm Thu 6 Aug 09

Did you good folks see the centre page story in the Daily Mail today?

A reporter got one of the new ID cards that is supposed to be tamper proof and unforgable, In ten minutes using a cell phone and Lap top a hacker Cloned the ID card (supposed to be impossible) And changed the details on the chip from saying BEARER NOT ENTITLED TO NHS/ DOLE/ BENEFITS etc to BEING ENTITLED TO ALL PUBLIC SERVICES.

He even put on a message for the security services saying SHOOT BEARER ON SIGHT.

The ID card fiasco is just yet another ion a complete long liner of new liebour failures, it wont stop terrorism, wont stop ID fraud, wont stop illegals getting social benefits from the state. What it will do is cost the tax payers billions for absolutely no gain at all.

billysaid says...
6:03pm Thu 6 Aug 09

i do not want a bloody ID card,,i already have one,its called a driving licence and i have a passport,both have my photo on them. if your silly government wants people to have one,then let them pay for it !..oh,i forgot,,you are brits !! and you do as you are told immediately when your government shouts shyt !.

Super steve says...
6:18pm Thu 6 Aug 09

David Lacey wrote:
Just be clear Geraldine the Tories disgust me, but not quite as much as Labour. I could never vote for either. As for "socialists have just as much right to be happy in their country as the Tories do" I agree as long as their happiness is not bought with my taxes.
Socialists feel a great debt to their fellow men, but they prefer to use YOUR money to pay that debt.
Geraldine with the utmost respect because you are clearly inteligent but socialism is a disease of man, it wont work, never has worked and it can not ever work in future. You always have more people wanting to take out of the communal pot than put into it.

If you talk to "" Socialists"" they always chant the same story
1 Last time it was the wrong people in charge
2 Next time it will be different
Trouble is it never is, so now in the Uk the ordinary, decent hard working mortgaged to the hilt, British tax payer is seeing over a third of his pay disappear each week to fund various wasteful social schemes that only ever get MORE expensive. His remaining money does not go as far as it used to, if he saves it, its taxed, if he buys things its taxed again. Record taxes on an ever declining work force and public service dont improve.

Since 1948 and the formation of the NHS the wise and prudent worked hard, bought their homes and dsaved as best they could for their old age. At the same time the feckless in society did not save, lived in public housing, made no provision for their old age. give you one guess which section gets hammered by the government?.
So today I see in the papers how this govt is now going to target prudent pensioners again. Those folks who worked and saved for their old age ( the same ones faced with losing their homes to pay for care bills) are no facing having their free bus passes taken from them as well. The lower forms of life who saved nothing since the inception of the nanny state, spent all their time it T workies each night, living in council houses instead of making an effort to buy their own, THEY get to keep the free bus passes, but those who worked all their lives, paid the taxes and saved hard lose their passes. Thats Socialism in modern Britain, those who pay in most get least out, those who do nothing get everything. that is wrong, that is labours Britain. Do a google for the tale of the Ant and the Grasshopper. it sums up the country perfectly.

CTRILEY says...
6:30pm Thu 6 Aug 09

Go into any high street newsagent or supermarket there are many computers mags. for sale containing ads. where you can buy the equipment to make your own ID cards.

---
Supersteve suggests that we "Do a google for the tale of the Ant and the Grasshopper. it sums up the country perfectly", I suggest you watch "V for Vendetta" for a vision of the future. Here's a clip:

http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=chqi8m4CE
EY

Super steve says...
11:37am Fri 7 Aug 09

Adam Walker wrote:
ID cards are another control method just like the threat of terrorism, political correctness, CCTV cameras etc. People are easy to control when they are afraid. Lets face it, unless we start waking up to what our political masters have planned for us, this great country of ours is going to be very different in the not so distant future. Super Steve..... Under a British National Party Govenment your wishes would be granted. Wouldnt it be a refreshing change to have a Govenment that will not adopted the new religion of Political Correctness?
Yes Sir it would, but the BNP still needs to do away wioth a few more of its more extreme policies to gain its rightful plasce in the political world.

A new party like yours is utteerrly handicapped because of the huge media influence the big parties have, the Only way the BNP can flourish is to Adapt AND to maintain the moral highground it has been doing lately ( IE not retaliating to left wing orcherstrated violence and thuggery)

In time with strong leadership and strict party discipline parties like UKIP and THE BNP will be able to show the left that Patriotism and Nation Pride is not something to be ashamed of.

Labour has never had any morals of any sort, thats why the collapse in social values is so bad, but the tories and liberals have also abandoned most of the morals and values that sustain a decent society. Personally I feel in the coming years UKIP, BNP, Greens and ESPECIALLY independants will help clean up the disgusting mess Liebour has made of the UK, I hope you are a part of that.

Steve Colborn says...
6:00pm Fri 7 Aug 09

Not So Super, I really wish you would discontue your insupportable uses of the term Socialism.
Socialism/Communism have never, I repeat never, existed anywhere in the world to date. Socialism/Communism must, and can only exist on worldwide scale. It is not, I repeat not, just another way of running Capitalism.
What you continually and errornously refer to as Socialism is, as I have explained before, merely State-Capitlalism, (nationalisation). And moreover, clearly exhibits all the classical signs of Capitalism.
Capitalism does not, nor ever has worked in the interests of the vast majority, this is just not its "raison d'etre". It exists for the continued accrueing of wealth in the hands of a tiny minority. Your party supports this system, the same as the partys you decry.
You are no different, and accept the continued wage-slavery of the majority, whilst this tiny minority live in unalloyed and obscene luxury.
Far from the B.N.P. being different, they are merely another bunch of apologists for the status-quo.
Your and their, continued mis-representation of Socialism, does not change this fact mate.

Super steve says...
6:35pm Fri 7 Aug 09

Steve Colborn wrote:
Not So Super, I really wish you would discontue your insupportable uses of the term Socialism. Socialism/Communism have never, I repeat never, existed anywhere in the world to date. Socialism/Communism must, and can only exist on worldwide scale. It is not, I repeat not, just another way of running Capitalism. What you continually and errornously refer to as Socialism is, as I have explained before, merely State-Capitlalism, (nationalisation). And moreover, clearly exhibits all the classical signs of Capitalism. Capitalism does not, nor ever has worked in the interests of the vast majority, this is just not its "raison d'etre". It exists for the continued accrueing of wealth in the hands of a tiny minority. Your party supports this system, the same as the partys you decry. You are no different, and accept the continued wage-slavery of the majority, whilst this tiny minority live in unalloyed and obscene luxury. Far from the B.N.P. being different, they are merely another bunch of apologists for the status-quo. Your and their, continued mis-representation of Socialism, does not change this fact mate.
Well if socialism has never existed, its never going to exist in any meaningful form , especially as so many people equate socialism as being able to get something for nothing ( Labour supporters) its rather a pointless issue.

Ref ID cards they have much in common with the Labour party, they dont work, wont work and cost far to much.

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