ID cards round 2?

[Geordie_Rob]

(6 March 2013, 12:53)MaryN Wrote: What's the big deal? You are on a "list" somewhere the moment you are registered at birth. Do you have a car, insurance, N.I. number, passport, pension?? The Government have your number and more details about you than you possibly realise. What is wrong with being able to identify yourself easily by waving an ID card? It's certainly easier than presenting yourself at a Police Station to prove who you are. Why put yourself through that sort of hassle? I got used to carrying ID on my person at all times when I lived abroad - it was a doddle and helped with all sorts of situations. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about, and in any event I don't think it has been mooted to be compulsory.

I don't mind carrying id about with me, in fact I carry the photo card of my drivers licence around with me in my wallet. What I do object to is another thing I have to pay for when I've already got one.

Imagine the scenario at A+E "Excuse me, can you prove you're entitled to nhs care?" "Yes sir/madam. Here is my British passport." "Sorry, it's not on the list of approved identification. Please go & die quietly in the corner."

It's for keeping tabs on people plain & simple. Imagine how easy it would be for the police having the name, address & a recent photo of every citizen in the country. Get a picture off a CCTV camera of someone committing a crime & cross check it against the national database using facial recognition software. All they would need to do is get the local plod to go & round up all those who flag up on the system. Obviously I'm not that fussed for that side of things personally (I send a new pic every 10 years for driving licence & passport). Like I say, it's the fact that we'll have to pay extra for something we'll "need". You can bet they won't be cheap as well.