Common in Continental Europe. It would severely dent the black labour market, and make the country less attractive for illegals.
I know many would argue that we have ID cards in many forms already, but I’m a libertarian and would resist a crystallisation of it. As far as illegal immigration is concerned, I agree with Stroller that we need to look at the legal application process and make it better. But this should be part of a wider initiative to address the trafficking supply lines (see Henry Bolton), a proper articulation of what this country needs in terms of immigration, and an insistence that the EU provides immigrants traversing through its territory with a ‘story’ that can be checked by UK authorities once they rock up here (see earlier post by me that nobody commented on at the time).
Funnily enough it was the Blair Government's proposal for ID cards that first 'politicised' me. I remember being irrationally angry about the proposal, and the various Labour proposals (90 day detention without trial etc etc) that were overly authoritarian for my liking. They brought out the libertarian in me too, and pushed me towards thinking through my politics and me eventually joining the Tories. Not sure I feel quite so strongly now, but I'm still not keen on the idea.
Mikey M in Somerset - Repeal Devolved Parliaments @WaltsWinnebago · Aug 23 If 1,000 migrants cross the channel in one day, imagine the operation to muster and communicate the instructions to 1,000 people, co-ordinate the large number of dinghies at push off points along a 60+ mile stretch of coast. Must be a massive operation yet no one can stop it ?
I don't get the objection to national ID cards. As a non-driver whose passport has expired, I currently have no recognised photo-ID. Under Tory proposals, this would mean I would not be allowed to vote.
I don't really get this. In a world where companies constantly access our personal data online and credit card companies keep a track of our every purchase, why such strong objections to a physical card? Post Brexit I've needed an ID card to prove my right to reside in France. It has my full name (Daverangers QPRson) date of birth, nationality and issue/expiry date on it. A few weeks ago, on leaving the UK to return to France, the passport official asked for my card, looked at it, immediately realised I have a legal right to reside in France and so let me in. Same process if I am stopped by the police for any reason. Given how much data is available online, and how much is stored by private companies, I don't see what the problem is with having a card with enough data on it to make the police and immigration control jobs much easier.
It's not about having an ID card per se, I wouldn't mind having to have one (or everyone having to have a passport). It's about what the police can then do - can they demand to stop you and see your ID card at any time? What's the punishment if you don't show ID? Those sort of questions are what make people nervous.
Your passport is valid for five years after expiry as ID...I flew down to England several times over the past year on an old passport with no issues (different if you're going overseas, obviously)
Their case for independance is weakening by the day. Multiple strikes at the moment, bins not being emptied, Scottish NHS in tatters, highest alcohol deaths in Europe, highest drug deaths in Europe, schooling drastically underfunded, and this just out yesterday.... Scottish public spending deficit falls to £23.7bn https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-62647414 Income from taxes rose by £11bn to £73.8bn, leaving a gap between spending and revenue equating to 12.3% of Scotland's GDP. The deficit for the UK as a whole over the same period was 6.1% of GDP.
I agree, Dave. The worry from liberals is that there will be occasional police checkpoints at the end of games at Loftus Road, and Alsations and Tasers ready for anyone not carrying theirID's (if they have one). Non-compliants and illegal immigrants will be carted off in police vans. But is that your experience in France? My understanding is that apart from making life simpler at immigration controls between European countries, ID's must be produced to an employer in order to get work and employers have a duty to register new employees against the threat of (possibly) criminal sanctions.
