UK Politics Thread (Part 4)

At last they seem to be having a single card. I have three: a general ID card, a health insurance card and a driving licence.

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And a passport?

Anything to get rid of me…

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I have a passport, but that is issued by the UK.

What I am wondering is whether the card will need to be presented when using the health service. They wanted to introduce this 20 years ago, but the business case they presented was all over the place. A combined card would be a good idea, but they need to set out how the data protection would work.

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Shit yeah. Just realised Reform’s policy proposals might impact you.

Actually, they’ll impact all of us somehow. I’m actually concerned if they become the leading party in Wales. We can say goodbye to our national identity if they get in for long enough.

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As always with these things, you don’t think about what a relatively benign, accountable government could do to you with this control over you. You think about what it’s possible for a fascist, authoritarian government to do.

That was my concern when Blair tried to introduce this. Those fear are more pressing today than they were twenty years ago.

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It’s sickening, isn’t it? It’s an ethno-nationalist move that the electorate appear to be embracing, rather than questioning. Are we really at a point where we’re going to deport pensioners on IRL for example, or a parent of a child with IRL? It just sort of reminds me of that scene in Star Wars where Padme says, ā€˜so this is how liberty dies? With thunderous applause.’

I thought we’d moved on from all this stuff under the BNP, but thanks to social media, it’s pushed this ideology to the brink of power.

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What does everyone think of this UK ID card?
The govt already knows my driving licence, passport, National Insurance number, NHS number, name on electoral roll system etc. What else do they need?

To me, it seems something more sinister in the long term, especially with that evil Palantir technology which has our personal NHS data.

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In solidarity with you @SBYM :raised_fist:

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No idea. It really could be used in many nasty ways. But I just dont get what Labour think they’ll gain from it politically. Almost like they’re trying to out Reform, Reform.

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Yes another panic with no strategy or plan. React, react, react. Clueless.

And another waste of precious money.

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We have id cards in Germany and they are useful in many situations. They should be combined with the driving licence and I expect that to happen in the not too distant future. They can be used instead of passports in some cases.
As you say, the government, and private companies, already have a lot of your data, so I wouldn’t see this as particularly sinister.

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I agree wholeheartedly.

He definitely needs to be the first to be shipped off to the other side of the world.

Oh, you mean… :frowning:

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My concern with something like this is having all of your personal data all together on 1 card means it is likely to be a boon for the criminal world to steal peoples identity and to clone id cards.

If the government can actually implement an ID card that still protects an individuals personal data, then great, but do you really trust any government anywhere to actually be able to do that?

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Most countries are probably the same in that they do already have most of your info, but I think it’s split between many departments which don’t really work/share well together. What this type of thing potentially does is give all departments access to all your info so as they don’t need to work together. I doubt there is anything sinister in it, they just want to know everything about you to ensure a number of things,such as you pay all your taxes, don’t get what your not entitled to, etc. They will however then be privvy to some info that just isn’t there business, but they already have most of that anyway.

It should still fall under the UK’s post Brexit version of GDPR which is a good thing. Watch that if Reform get in though. They want to pull us out of the ECHR which gives us a fundamental right to privacy in law.

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I would think that the data will most likely be segregated in some way so only data needed by specific departments will be available to them, and only to specific staff needing it for their role.

That pretty much sums up GDPR. And there are limits on how long you can keep it etc.

It really depends on how it is implemented. The ID card should be a way for the individual to own their identity and stop others passing themselves off.

You have to consider what it is used for. If it is a situation where identity fraud would be detrimental to an individual then it is generally a good thing. You need to ask if the individual requesting it has any business knowing exactly who you are.

Identity theft is a big problem, and proof of identity is a bit of a joke. I remember when my wife went to open an account in Britain, she couldn’t believe that they wanted to see a gas bill.

For this scheme, I suspect it is related to detecting things like modern slavery. I’m still not sure how they will implement it. At least how it would be implemented without discriminating against minorities.

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There is from my thinking a problem that I believe to be specific to the UK and that is presumption of innocence. From what I understand it’s for the police to prove your who you say you are in the UK.
The idea behind an identity card is that the carrier must prove who they are and this card is the means.
You might laugh but it’s the fundamental of presumption of innocence. One shouldn’t have to prove your guilt.
All countries that have id cards didn’t have presumption of innocence.
This has always been the principle and fundamental arguement against an id card in the UK. It’s about rights.
That this isn’t even whispered anymore just goes to show how far we have fallen. Right wing fuckwittery.
France is a good example of the ā€˜opposite’.
I think this has to be thought about carefully and the real issues discussed, the protections that will need to be put in place, what it’s purpose is, what safeguards against abuse … etc
I feel it’s far more complicated than is being portrayed.
Just because other countries have them doesn’t make it right.

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