"WHAT WE STAND FOR:

NO2ID is a campaigning organisation. We are a single-issue group focussed on the threat to liberty and privacy posed by the rapid growth of the database state, of which "ID cards" are the most visible part. We are entirely independent. We do not endorse any party, nor campaign on any other topic.

We aim to publicise the case against state identity management among the general public, in the media, and at every level in government. NO2ID's members are from all sorts of backgrounds and hold all sorts of opinions on other questions. They almost certainly include people much like you. Please support us.

NO2ID comment:
STOP THE DATABASE STATE
Commissioned from the Foundation for Information Policy Research, the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust's report, 'Database State' [879KB PDF], gives a vivid impression of the problem. It shows just how vast the database state has grown, in effect, while almost no-one was looking.

The report surveys 46 government schemes and databases, and identifies major threats to the privacy, personal security and freedom of everyone in the UK. It concludes that more than 8 out of 10 of the systems should either be scrapped completely or stopped and reconstructed with privacy in mind.

Even so it is not a completely comprehensive list. For some others see http://www.no2id.net/dbstate — and for more detail on the grand plans of 'joined-up government' see http://www.no2id.net/datasharing.

When we coined our slogan "stop the database state" back in 2004 it was because we needed to give a name to 'the tendency to try to control society by collecting information on people in databases'.

Five years on, the phrase is on everyone's lips."

(Text taken from www.no2id.net)

FORTHCOMING NO2ID EVENTS IN CANTERBURY:

Saturday 30th May: Protest at Dover Interrogation Centre. Details TBC

Contact local co-ordinator Carol McIntosh on 07792 567087 or email canterbury@no2id.net

Website

Next Meeting
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18th June, Bell and Crown, 7.30pm

FROM THE LATEST NO2ID NEWSLETTER:

+ Pilots to fight ID cards at Manchester Airport + The British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA) has stepped up itscampaign against the ID scheme and in particular its compulsory nature.Pilots and other airside workers at Manchester Airport will have toapply for the card - or lose their jobs. BALPA General Secretary JimMcAuslan said: "Parliament was told by the Government that the schemewould be voluntary. But pilots are told that if they have no ID cardthey will not be allowed airside and if they cannot get airside theycannot fly, and they lose their jobs. This is intolerable". BALPA saythey will resist the scheme "with every lawful means at our disposal"including legal action, fighting it in Parliament and seeking thesupport of the travelling public. The government has said that allpilots and airside workers will be required to have ID cards and thenext airport to be targeted will be London City Airport. In a recentsurvey of BALPA members for every pilot in favour of the national IDscheme there were six against. + National Identity Cards Scheme Draft Orders laid beforeParliament + Four new Statutory Instruments under the Identity Cards Act 2006 werepublished last week. Statutory Instruments provide the detailedregulations which implement Acts of Parliament. One of the ordersrelates to designated documents - when an individual applies for adesignated document that individual must apply at the same time to beentered in the National Identity Register and apply for an ID card. Theorder seeks to make a criminal conviction certificate (issued as part ofa Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check) for those applying for an airsidepass a designated document. This is the way in which the government willforce airport staff on to the ID scheme. The other orders relate tofees, Information and Code of Practice on Penalties and Provision ofInformation without Consent. For more details see the report on SpyBlogathttp://spyblog.org.uk/2009/05/national-identity-cards-scheme-creep---4-draft-orders-laid-before-parliament.html + Even UK security firm criticises Manchester ID scheme 'launch' + UK security manufacturer TSSI has spoken out against the latest 'launch'of the government's ID scheme in Manchester - where residents over 16with a UK passport will be able to apply for a card this autumn. JohnBarker, general manager of TSSI Systems Ltd said: "The scheme works onthe assumption that people will apply on a voluntary basis although itis not entirely clear what the real benefits to members of the publicare." On the issue of cost Barker added: "The estimated cost of theproject to the Home Office is about £5bn, but Dr Whitley of the LondonSchool of Economics estimates that the last four years has already seenastronomical costs of between £10 and £20 billion. With spiraling costsit seems that the government has already bitten off more than it canchew." The government has tried to claim that much of the cost of the IDscheme is required to upgrade passports but as Dr Whitley recently toldBBC Radio 4's Today programme: "some of the costs that they have beenclaiming are required to satisfy international obligations for improvingpassports but they are not actually obligations on the UK government butrather they are political choices that have been made rather thaninternational requirements". + The hidden costs of ID cards + The government has claimed for some time that the price of an ID cardwill be £30. However the trial in Manchester reveals that the plasticcard will cost £30 and biometric enrolment will cost another £30. Draftorders published under the ID card act now reveal that an ID card is £30if the application accompanies an application to be entered in theNational Identity Register, the database behind the scheme. But if theyare not done together then the cost of an ID card is £30 and the cost ofgoing on the database is yet another £30. + Photo ID to visit Orkney? + One NO2ID supporter who recently travelled to Orkney by ferry wasshocked when NorthLink Ferries said they require photo ID for allpassengers over 16. When he wrote to Northlink they replied that it wasbecause the ferry was going into international waters but one glance atthe map showed this was rubbish. They then replied that it was forsecurity and safety reasons. When travelling he asked again and theysaid it was because the vessel was over a certain size and EUregulations demanded it. Soon photo ID could be required for all suchjourneys - the government's CONTEST strategy lays out plans for "policepowers to collect advance passenger data on some domestic air and seajourneys".
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What's next?
** *+ Volunteers needed for Mark Thomas gigs +*Mark Thomas has invited NO2ID to help at some of his shows this year.NO2ID needs volunteers to help out as Mark tours around the country - westill need volunteers for the following gigs: Wellingborough 9th June,Barnstable 12th June, Bridport 18th June, Stockton on Tees 23rd June,Lincoln 24th June, Bath 25th June - email Matty onlocal.groups@no2id.net if you can help.For details of gigs see http://www.markthomasinfo.com/section_gigs/ *+ Communications Data consultation +*The Home Office has launched a consultation on proposals for theso-called Intercept Modernisation Programme whereby the government wantsinternet service providers and telecommunications companies data tostore details of all UK emails, phone calls and web activity so thatpublic authorities can get hold of that information when they want it.The consultation ends on 20 July 2009.Full details and how to respond athttp://www.tellthemwhatyouthink.org/consultation/con-2217-protecting-public-changing-environment *+ DNA Database consultation +*The government has launched a consultation 'Keeping the right people onthe DNA database'. The consultation closes on 7th August - responses canbe emailed to (DNAconsultation@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk). For details ofthe consultation and links to the relevant consultation documents seehttp://www.tellthemwhatyouthink.org/consultation/con-2255-keeping-right-people-dna-database

+ Reclaim Your DNA website launched +

As the government ums and ahs over the retention of innocent people's DNA, civil liberties groups including GeneWatch and NO2ID have come together to set up a new website 'Reclaim Your DNA' to help people askto have their DNA removed from the National DNA database. Up to a million innocent people who have been arrested in England, Wales or Northern Ireland have had their DNA retained. This includes many children, who can be arrested from the age of ten. The site points out: "The most important thing to do first is to write a letter to the police" and the site can even generate a letter for you.
www.reclaimyourdna.org

+ Latest ID scheme cost report shows cost increase +

The UK Identity and Passport Service (UKIP) has published its latest ten-year cost estimate of the National Identity Scheme. The report which specifically excludes costs to business, citizens and any part of government other than the Home Office -- shows a £160 million increase in 6 months. The report also completely ignores the £250 million+already spent on the scheme. The report even tries to re-brand the National Identity Scheme as the 'National Identity Service' in an attempt to suggest that there are benefits to signing up when in fact anyone who registers will be signing away their privacy for life and giving the government a blank cheque.
Read the report at:
www.ips.gov.uk/passport/downloads/docA_IPS_cost_report%202009_v11_BM.pdf

+ Court prolongs German data access curbs +

 Germany's Federal Constitutional Court has again renewed an interim decision restricting access to the communications data of citizens whoare not suspected of any crime. The curbs will probably stay in placeuntil the court rules on a complaint that blanket data retentionviolates the German constitution. Some 34,000 people have put their names to the complaint.

+ Anti-ID card song +

Rock/alternative band Guns To Caviar have added an anti-ID-card track'Function Creep' to their myspace page. The band said: "The cause needs a rock anthem, we reckon!" You can check it out at
www.myspace.com/gunstocaviar