Blair makes ID card bill "virility test"
Winston Smith | 01.06.2005 13:01 | Repression
Of all the dozens of Bills announced for the coming session, the Government has made it clear that the Identity Cards Bill will be the flagship. It is the most "modernizing", the one that is Blair's most personal project. We can beat Blair on this.
THE SAME AGAIN -- OR IS IT?
The "new" Bill was published on 25th May. It is to be found here:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmbills/009/2006009.htm
The changes are trivial. As ever, the Home Office is ignoring its critics. It has not even had the decency to change what the House of Lords Constitution Committee called its "misleading" title.
However, NO2ID has been well prepared for the battle this time. We wrote a letter to every MP immediately after the election, tailored to each member's individual circumstances and providing a summary analysis
of the issues. We are in touch with a lot of new people. We are gaining momentum, and the Government seems to be losing some.
The demonstration on the morning of the Queen's Speech that we mounted in association with Liberty did not itself get huge coverage. But it was the springboard for yet more access to the media. Thank you to everyone who took part.
THE MOOD HAS CHANGED
Our continual efforts to educate the press and public are paying off. Last September when NO2ID was getting established, there was no public interest. The introduction of the Bill in November was eventful only for the confusion in Tory policy. By the eve of the election everybody
but the Government agreed the proposals were "controversial", but few were quite sure why.
The announcement of an increased estimate of the cost "of the card"-really of a registration-seems to have broken the threshold of public consciousness. Now people are interested. That has been the trigger for the media to start carrying stories about the database, which they
only rarely did before.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
As we always say to journalists and parliamentarians, state ID management would change our way of life fundamentally, so it ought to be discussed at every table and every bar. So engage your friends and acquaintances. Write to the
local press. There's a list of things you can do here:
http://www.no2id.net/getInvolved/other.php
But for the parliamentary battle that is to happen shortly, there is one thing above all others...
CONTACT YOUR (LABOUR) MP NOW
Almost all the parties are now committed to oppose the Government's legislation when it is brought forward again. But we need Labour backbenchers to rebel or Labour ministers to think better if it is to be stopped in the House of Commons. This is now a real possibility.
So if you are in the majority of the population whose Member of Parliament is on the Government benches, then get in touch with them and tell them what you think of "Labour's Poll Tax". MPs do listen to
their constituents. Even though a party loyalist may write the standard, approved, letter back, he or she will take notice, and might be influenced, if not to vote against, to find something very important to do elsewhere on the day of the debate.
You can contact your MP without leaving the computer:
http://www.writetothem.com/
PETITION PUSH WEEKEND
Our recent request to supporters to get friends and acquaintances to sign the petition resulted in nearly 2000 new supporters for the campaign in a week. Now we have nearly 15,000 supporters, we are taking the campaign off the web and on to the streets.
This weekend, 3rd/4th June, NO2ID local groups will be making a coordinated effort across the country to collect names and addresses of opponents of the legislation across the country. Do help if you can:
http://www.no2id.net/localGroups/index.php
Our target is to double in size: 15,000 new supporters is easily possible. It will show the Government the depth of opposition yet to be mobilised.
The "new" Bill was published on 25th May. It is to be found here:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmbills/009/2006009.htm The changes are trivial. As ever, the Home Office is ignoring its critics. It has not even had the decency to change what the House of Lords Constitution Committee called its "misleading" title.
However, NO2ID has been well prepared for the battle this time. We wrote a letter to every MP immediately after the election, tailored to each member's individual circumstances and providing a summary analysis
of the issues. We are in touch with a lot of new people. We are gaining momentum, and the Government seems to be losing some.
The demonstration on the morning of the Queen's Speech that we mounted in association with Liberty did not itself get huge coverage. But it was the springboard for yet more access to the media. Thank you to everyone who took part.
THE MOOD HAS CHANGED
Our continual efforts to educate the press and public are paying off. Last September when NO2ID was getting established, there was no public interest. The introduction of the Bill in November was eventful only for the confusion in Tory policy. By the eve of the election everybody
but the Government agreed the proposals were "controversial", but few were quite sure why.
The announcement of an increased estimate of the cost "of the card"-really of a registration-seems to have broken the threshold of public consciousness. Now people are interested. That has been the trigger for the media to start carrying stories about the database, which they
only rarely did before.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
As we always say to journalists and parliamentarians, state ID management would change our way of life fundamentally, so it ought to be discussed at every table and every bar. So engage your friends and acquaintances. Write to the
local press. There's a list of things you can do here:
http://www.no2id.net/getInvolved/other.php But for the parliamentary battle that is to happen shortly, there is one thing above all others...
CONTACT YOUR (LABOUR) MP NOW
Almost all the parties are now committed to oppose the Government's legislation when it is brought forward again. But we need Labour backbenchers to rebel or Labour ministers to think better if it is to be stopped in the House of Commons. This is now a real possibility.
So if you are in the majority of the population whose Member of Parliament is on the Government benches, then get in touch with them and tell them what you think of "Labour's Poll Tax". MPs do listen to
their constituents. Even though a party loyalist may write the standard, approved, letter back, he or she will take notice, and might be influenced, if not to vote against, to find something very important to do elsewhere on the day of the debate.
You can contact your MP without leaving the computer:
http://www.writetothem.com/ PETITION PUSH WEEKEND
Our recent request to supporters to get friends and acquaintances to sign the petition resulted in nearly 2000 new supporters for the campaign in a week. Now we have nearly 15,000 supporters, we are taking the campaign off the web and on to the streets.
This weekend, 3rd/4th June, NO2ID local groups will be making a coordinated effort across the country to collect names and addresses of opponents of the legislation across the country. Do help if you can:
http://www.no2id.net/localGroups/index.php Our target is to double in size: 15,000 new supporters is easily possible. It will show the Government the depth of opposition yet to be mobilised.
Winston Smith
Homepage:
http://www.no2id.net
