libertus

ID Cards! Hot! Hot! Hot!

Posted on Tue, 14th March 2006 at 12:00 under Politics

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Oh yes! It’s getting hot in the House as the heart and mind of Great British political life battle it out, in a most civilised manner, over who’s going to get their way on the Identity Cards Bill.

Everyone has something to say about ID cards, at least whether one is prepared to carry such an instrument, and certainly whether one is prepared to pay for it.

I would love to have an ID card. I hate having to repeat myself. I can also imagine a number of immeasurably helpful things I could do with my very own identity card, totally independent of what the Government wants from my carrying one. I know existing technology would allow me to do those things without the Government having to fear I was messing with their precious data. Quite the contrary.

If I controlled my own identity, everyone would be more certain of who I am, rather than many having an unclear idea of whom I claim to be. There is only one me, so there should only exist one set of data that identifies me. I should carry it, maintain it and share it as necessary.

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Libertus said: March 14th, 2006 at 12:00
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Who is making more sense here? The Lords or the Commons?

Clause 5

LORDS AMENDMENT NO. 16

16. Page 4, line 44, leave out “must” and insert “may, if the individual so chooses,”

COMMONS DISAGREEMENT AND REASON

The Commons disagree to this Amendment for the following Reason—

16A. Because the Commons consider it appropriate that a person applying for a designated document be required at the same time to apply to be entered in the Register and to have an ID Card issued to him

The underlining is mine. I read that as if you volunteer once, you are compelled to volunteer again. What is so necessary about the Register that I must blindly volunteer to be entered in it? Why do the Lords not think that is a good thing? Hmmm…

The Commons debate on theyworkforyou.com.
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Libertus said: March 14th, 2006 at 12:12
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The Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949
Since 1949 four acts have been passed into law without the consent of the House of Lords:

* War Crimes Act 1991
* European Parliamentary Elections Act 1999
* Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000
* Hunting Act 2004

In nearly sixty years, the Commons had to pull rank once under ~~Thatcher~~, I’m sorry, Major and thrice under Blair. Hmmm…

That’s not bad, really, although the Lords seem to have got much more uppity since Mr. Blair became Prime Minister. Presumably he’s doing something about the crusty old rebel-rousers.
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ID Cards! Hot! Hot! Hot!

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