Posts Tagged NO2ID

Democracy2.0

14 February, 2010 at 12:46 pm · Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged , ,

One good thing, perhaps the only good thing, about the MPs’ expenses scandal is that it has pushed constitutional reform issues up the agenda.

Charter ’88, now part of Unlock Democracy, has been plugging away on this agenda for over 21 years. Now there is an upsurge of other organisations on similar lines from 38 Degrees to Power2010. With all these numbers in their titles, perhaps we should group them as Democracy2.0

Power2010 has been promoting its ballot on various reform pledges; many of them, from fairer votes to the right to recall your MP, will be familiar to Liberal Democrat supporters. Another Power2010 pledge I’m backing is to scrap ID cards. NO2ID activists will be joining forces with Power2010 at their first London activists’ meeting. It’s next Tuesday 16th February, 6-8pm at ULU on Malet Street, WC1E 7HY.

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More on ID cards

31 July, 2009 at 1:30 pm · Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged , ,

Does anyone still support ID cards? Alan Johnson has managed to unite even more parties against the scheme. The Democratic Unionists are objecting to the pilot version because it doesn’t include the Union Jack.

Liberal Democrats have always opposed ID cards and in recent years the Conservatives have joined us. So have many Labour rebels.

Earlier this month opposition MPs united to table a parliamentary debate calling for the ID card scheme to be scrapped. The issue has divided Islington Labour party. Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn voted with the Liberal Democrats to oppose ID cards; but Labour loyalist Emily Thornberry lined up with the Government whips and voted in favour.

Last week’s Islington Tribune carried my latest letter on ID cards, and a shorter version appears in this week’s Islington Gazette.

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NO2ID stall this Sunday

20 July, 2009 at 1:24 pm · Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged ,

The local NO2ID group has our next street stall on Sunday 25 July, from 12 noon, near Angel tube. Come along and say hello!

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NO2ID – local dates

8 April, 2009 at 12:36 pm · Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged

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An update following last night’s NO2ID meeting.

Street stalls:
Saturday 11th April from 12 noon at Hackney Central train station
Sunday 19th April 12pm – 4pm at Angel Tube

Next meeting:
Tuesday 5th May 8pm at the Kings Head, 59 Essex Road N1

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Stop Clause 152

2 March, 2009 at 12:43 pm · Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged , , , , , ,

I’ve received this message from Phil Booth of the NO2ID campaign:

“Please join the Stop Clause 152! facebook group and act NOW to preserve privacy, confidentiality and trust.

“I know some of you have already written to your MP on this issue – thank you! – but it’s vital we keep the pressure up, and that *every* MP is getting the same clear message from lots and lots of their constituents: WE REFUSE TO CONSENT.

“We’re still only in the early stages, and already Jack Straw is nervous. We may need to take the battle to the Lords and beyond – so keep an eye on the Stop Clause 152! group, sign up for NO2ID’s newsletter if you don’t get it already and tell everyone that you know.

“Together, we can stop this.”

For more on the notorious Clause 152, see Phil Booth’s article, and my previous blogpost.

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Tomorrow is decision day on database state

25 January, 2009 at 7:38 pm · Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged , ,

Thanks to Charlotte Gore for linking to my piece on Clause 152 of the Coroners and Justice Bill.

This part of the Bill is due for debate tomorrow. If you’ve not already contacted your MP, it’s not too late!

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Police shoot innocent man by mistake

3 January, 2009 at 1:27 pm · Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged , , , , ,

Another challenge to the (pro ID card) idea that the innocent have nothing to fear: the shooting of Robert Tolan in President Bush’s home state of Texas.

Mr Tolan was shot on his own driveway, having driven home in his own car. Driving an SUV and going to the burger bar in the middle of the night may not be admirable lifestyle choices, but they are hardly capital offences; especially not, one imagines, in Texas.

It should not make a difference that Robert Tolan is young and black. But unsurprisingly, his outraged family think it may have affected the police’s false belief that the car was stolen. Mistakes get made here too, and even with mature clergymen. Bishop John Sentamu was stopped six times in eight years by the police during his time as Bishop of Stepney. At least nobody shot him.

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NO2ID street stall today

21 December, 2008 at 8:06 pm · Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged ,

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Today I hurried straight from church to join the local NO2ID team at our streetstall at the Angel. Despite the windy weather (never have ‘flyers’ been better named) and the lure of last minute Christmas shopping, we had a lot of interest from passers by. Perhaps unsurprising as the latest opinion polls show that opposition to ID cards is growing fast.

One of the arguments people give in favour of ID cards is that the innocent have nothing to fear. (Try telling that to Colin Stagg). The implication that big organisations, the government, the police or local councils never make mistakes strikes me as a little over-optimistic, to say the least.

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NO2ID update

19 December, 2008 at 10:11 am · Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged

Look out for the local NO2ID campaign stall near Angel tube on Sunday afternoon (21st Dec). I’ll be dropping by to support the local team.

And if you’re not out and about, you can still see the campaign video on YouTube.

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ID cards: the madness continues

1 December, 2008 at 6:38 pm · Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged ,

Last week the first compulsory ID cards came in.

This week we find out that no-one can read them.

More on the NO2ID campaign here and here.

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