Barcode Nation

The identity minister Meg Hillier has admitted that the government did not make its reasons for identity cards “clear enough”.
In a Westminster Hall debate, the Labour MP Mark Todd accused the government of not making a “promising start” and said the public’s trust must be won for identity cards to work.
He said: “The [...]

The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) has appointed former Lloyds TSB marketer Alan Gilmour to the new position of director of marketing and customer insight. He will head a high-profile drive backing its identity card scheme.

Following Saturday’s call to arms that was the Convention on Modern Liberty, the question has been asked, “What next?”
Well in Liverpool, a Lib Dem Councillor has taken matters into his own hands. Tonight Cllr Colin Eldridge is putting a motion to the full Council meeting outlining opposition to the scheme.
“Liverpool City Council [...]

We now have proof that all the government’s waffle about our identities being safe and secure in their care is a load of cr@p.
Computer Weekly has revealed that staff at THIRTY local authorities have been responsible for “serious security breaches” in the government database that will form the core of the national ID cards programme. [...]

An interesting development from Lebanon where the Government has ruled that citizens can remove their religion from their identity cards.
One of the arguments against ID cards is the possibility of discrimination. For proof, you need look no further than Lebanon, where ID cards were the equivalent of death warrants. According to the BBC News article:
During [...]

Regular visitors to the Barcode Nation will know I am a big fan of Henry Porter’s Blog on the Guardian’s Comment Is Free. In his latest post, Henry brings us the story of the struggles faced by a UK born barrister married to a Sierra Leone born UN worker, in trying to move in and [...]

David Blunkett MP, the man who introduced the idea of ID cards during the Blair years has emerged as its latest opponent. Perhaps opponent is too strong a term, as the former Home Secretary does support the idea of cards for foreign nationals. But, when speaking at Essex University this week, he is expected to [...]

Politics.co.uk reports on the 50th anniversary of ID cards being abolished in Britain. It’s worth a read, but if you don’t have time, check out the summary:
What does the story of Britain’s first relationship with ID cards tell us? There are two important lessons. Firstly, the view that police will begin to routinely use powers [...]

Persistence pays off! After battling for four years against a Freedom of Information request, ministers have been ordered to publish two reviews into the ID card scheme.
The Information Tribunal has ordered the reviews to be published within 28 days.
The independent “gateway” reviews from 2003 and 2004 will give an insight into the creation of the draft [...]

Hot on the heels of the Scottish Government’s anti-ID statement comes the news that the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) has said its pilots will refuse to take part in the proposed ID card trial for airport workers.
 
Pilots who refuse to register for an ID card would not be granted airline passes enabling them to [...]