In a recent ICM poll a majority of the British public opposed the introduction of Labour’s ID Card.
The Lib Dems are the only party to have consistantly opposed ID Cards at both a local and national level.
In contrast Calder Valley’s Labour MP, Chris McCafferty, has backed ID Cards or was absent during it’s passage through parliament.
Introducing Labour’s compulsory ID card scheme is likely to cost every taxpayer at least ?200. On top of that we will then be charged over ?90 to obtain one of the new combined ID cards and passports.
Human rights campaigners Liberty say:
“Despite not appearing to be compulsory, the Secretary of State can require some types of people to register, by ‘proscribing’ a group. This is likely to apply to foreign nationals at first but will eventually apply to the entire population.”
And on top of this, ID Cards will do nothing to prevent benefit fraud, identity fraud, terrorism or illegal immigration.
Instead of wasting billions on this white elephant, the Liberal Democrats would:
- Fund 10,000 more police on top of Labour’s plans - as well as completing existing plans for an extra 20,000 community support officers to back them up.
- Equip police with new technology to cut time spent form-filling and help them tackle crime (e.g. handheld computers for beat bobbies so they don’t have to return to the station so often).
- Support the inclusion of biometrics in passports only, as a means of combating cross-border crime, illegal immigration, terrorism and fraud.
- Establish a National Border Agency by bringing together the officers from immigration, police and customs who currently have overlapping responsibilities at our ports and airports.
- Crack down on illegal working by improving the way the home office inspects and prosecutes employers of illegal migrants.
- Allow the use of phone-taps and other ‘intercept communications’ as evidence against suspected terrorists in court, to make it easier to bring them to court.
For more information visit
NO2ID.net
Liberty
Liberal Democrats - No ID Cards
