Tag-Archive for "id cards"
In a story about two British men trying to get their DNA removed from the national database, the BBC has reiterated one of Home Officer minister Tony McNulty’s arguments against having a mandatory DNA database of the whole population:
“How to maintain the security of a database with 4.5m people on it is one thing. Doing that for 60m people is another,” he added.
Excellent point, Tony. And guess what – it applies exactly as much to ID cards as it does to DNA.
An alert to anyone who was planning to attend the Scottish LibDem leadership hustings next Monday: they’re postponed until Sunday 19th. This is because of an ID cards vote in the Commons on Monday and, quite reasonably, the candidates need to be there.
theguardian reports that Passport cost rises by 21% to pay for security checks. Now, if I was very cynical, I’d think the Home Office were going to ramp up the cost of passports each year so that when it finally comes the time officially to include ID cards with them, that final leap in price turns out to be much less than anticipated.
But, as I say, that would be very cynical.
…from Lord Mackenzie, on ID cards:
He told BBC News: “Let’s look at the Soham murders. If Ian Huntley had had an identity card, would he have got the job at Soham school which allowed him to commit the murders? I think not.”
Erm, I think so, your lordship. Huntley didn’t disguise his identity to get the job so where would an ID card confirming that help? (Ignoring the too-often-forgotten fact that he didn’t work at the school attended by his victims.) The problems highlighted by the Bichard Inquiry related failures in the way Humberside and Cambridgeshire police forces recorded intelligence information, and how that weakened criminal records checking, an entirely separate issue from ID cards. A shameful attempt to use an emotive crime to distort a controversial issue.
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