open Democracy News Analysis - Identity Politics, - Comments

srheywood on "Identity Politics"

srheywood — Wed, 25 May 2005 21:09:30 +0000

I agree. There is some vestige of accountability on actual politicians. Not with the backroom boys and girls.

founder on "Identity Politics"

founder — Wed, 25 May 2005 21:06:07 +0000

Well .. not trusting the politicians is one thing .... but the greatest danger are with the insiders .. people working in the Home Office who have access to your details from their computer screens which to date nothing can protect. The prying eyes who might copy down your IDs and then pass them on to their husbands or boyfriends or their criminal mates.

srheywood on "Identity Politics"

srheywood — Tue, 24 May 2005 23:13:15 +0000

What puts me most immediately off ID cards is not any particular objection in principle but simple mistrust of the British state. From what little I know about the history of state use of the information at its disposal, I'm disinclined to volunteer my shoe size, let alone an iris scan. For most of my life (born 1969) Britain has been conducting low-level political counterinsurgency operations against one or other sector of its own population. It seems to engender a certain lack of scruple. I don't know too much about Sweden, but from very general differences in history and culture I can well believe the same doesn't quite apply there. Simon

Identity Politics,

founder — Tue, 24 May 2005 21:03:53 +0000

I would like to make a few points on ID Cards. The UK propose ID Cards for certain reasons like prevention of ID Theft, illegal immigration and terrorism. Swedish ID cards have evolved and are governed by its unique set of rules which are different to those proposed in UK or other countries in the world. ID Cards is a loose term to name any national card that identify their citizens. ID cards work differently in the hands of Swedish Premiers as compared to ID cards in the hands of other politicians or dictators. So just because ID Cards is working quite well in Sweden with its safeguards - doesn't mean that an ID card in UK or other countries will work the same way - because other Prime Ministers might have different agendas. Now let us see whether the Swedish ID card stop ID Theft or terrorism or illegal immigration. 1 ID Theft is happening and rising in Sweden - so one of the best central registry and ID card system cannot stop ID Theft. 2 There are many illegal immigrants in Sweden. 3 Crime and terrorism happen in Sweden and many remain unsolved. eg. the murder of the late Olaf Palmer is still a mystery. Many other bombings and crime remain unsolved. Just this week, bomb threats have been received by the Police. 4 Tax fraud is as common in Sweden as in other European countries. 5 Social security fraud is also common in Sweden. So taking the Swedish example we can safely say that all the claims by the UK Home Office about what ID cards can do have been proven and is beign proven wrong everyday.