Posts Tagged NO2ID
31 July, 2009 at 1:30 pm
· Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged Democratic Unionists, ID cards, NO2ID
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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20 July, 2009 at 1:24 pm
· Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged Islington, NO2ID
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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8 April, 2009 at 12:36 pm
· Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged NO2ID
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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2 March, 2009 at 12:43 pm
· Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged civil liberties, Clause 152, data, data protection, databases, legislation, NO2ID
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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25 January, 2009 at 7:38 pm
· Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged data protection, legislation, NO2ID
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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3 January, 2009 at 1:27 pm
· Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged crime, NO2ID, police, racial discrimination, Texas, USA
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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21 December, 2008 at 8:06 pm
· Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged ID cards, NO2ID
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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19 December, 2008 at 10:11 am
· Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged NO2ID
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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1 December, 2008 at 6:38 pm
· Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged ID cards, NO2ID
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28 November, 2008 at 11:40 am
· Filed under Campaigns ·Tagged civil liberties, Islington, NO2ID, students
The Islington Gazette has printed the letter I signed with others from the local NO2ID campaign.
I object to ID cards in principle. They are an unecessary burden on law abiding citizens. ID cards are costly and bureaucratic. It will need a massive and massively expensive database to make the system work. People who change their details, like women who choose to change their name when they marry, will have to pay £1000 for the privilege. And none of this will make us any safer.
This week the first wave of ID cards comes in. The Government plans to introduce ID cards by stealth – starting with overseas workers and students – in the hope that most people won’t notice or care. But this will damage our borough and the universities based here. British students will have to pay higher tuition costs to make up, and will have less money to spend with local businesses. That’s the last thing our local economy needs now.
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