ID Cards still very much on this Government’s agenda
Some of us, myself included, have a tendency to think that we, and NO2ID, have won the ID card battle. We should all be under no such illusion. The fight is still very much on.
Earlier this week there was a little-reported matter of Meg Hillier, the Home Office Minister, suggesting that Gordon Brown’s government may ask U.K. banks – specifically Govt “owned ones” – Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc and Lloyds Banking Group Plc – to subsidize its national identity-card program, paying for documents for poorer customers to attract business… “attract business” yeah right. And rather curious given that I was sure that the Government was leaving the banks to run their own business’. Apparently not.
Prior to that there was the little matter of Ms Hillier writing in Progress online (a New Labour Pressure Group) that ID cards are a “service” that will empower the country’s citizens – and specifically help fight social exclusion. Hmm – the Labour use of the word “service” is about as twisted as its concept of term “choice” – don’t these people own a dictionary? Or are they just writing their own?
Now we hear that Pensioners could be forced to carry identity cards to qualify for free bus travel.
Well, we learned a long time ago not to believe a single word (or indeed number) this Government comes out with. But its a timely reminder to us – not to let the ID cards issue fall off our agenda – its certainly not fallen off the Government’s.
UPDATE: I am reminded that you can keep abreast of Government sneaky action on id cards at NO2ID’s newsblog.
Tags: Home Office, ID cards, Meg Hillier