ID cards scheme to be scrapped within 100 days

Bill abolishing ID cards and national identity register will be first piece of legislation introduced to parliament by the new government, says Theresa May

The £4.5bn national identity card scheme is to be scrapped within 100 days, the home secretary, Theresa May, announced today.

The 15,000 identity cards already issued are to be cancelled without any refund of the £30 fee to holders within a month of the legislation reaching the statute book.

Abolishing the cards and associated register will be the first piece of legislation introduced to parliament by the new government. May said the identity documents bill will invalidate all existing cards.

The role of the identity commissioner, created in an effort to prevent data blunders and leaks, will be abolished.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/may/27/theresa-may-scrapping-id-cards

:woohoo:

... and must, of course, carry papers at all time, just like in Arizona.

But that's Ok, isn't it? Whoo hoo!

BTW Can we render unto Caesar, and remind ourselves that ID cards were a Tory idea - long before 9/11. Had Major been re-elected, we would all be carrying them now.

The Skin

But telling foreign residents that they still need what's anathema to the rest of us is hardly redolent of civil liberty.

It will keep Nick Griffin's supporters happy though. And Mrs Skin is white so she probably won't be asked for her papers. So, rejoice!

The Skin

... as it would appear that it is *their* requirement rather than ours:

> Home Office ministers said yesterday this was a separate scheme for biometric
> residence permits for foreign nationals that was required by European Union
> legislation.

Given that I don't know any more about the exemption that apparently affects
your wife than what I've read in this thread, I can easily believe that the
above is journalistic interpretation and I accept that you should know the truth
of the matter quite well by now. However, with this caveat, it would appear to
beyond the power of this government to unilaterally overrule EU legislation.

:shrug:

I'll keep folk posted on that one.

The Skin