Latest from NO2ID

Comments made in connection with each news item are personal observations and not necessarily those of NO2ID.

The introduction of ID cards by stealth is about to meet its first hurdle as government intends to make ID cards for airside airport workers compulsory. The scheme is to commence with Manchester Airport followed by London City Airport. Failure to comply would result in workers losing their jobs. By way of foisting cards on airside workers, four new instruments under the Identity Cards Act 2006 have recently been published, one of which will carry the requirement that when a worker applies for a certain designated document in connection with his or her work, they must also, at the same time, make an application to be entered onto the National Identity Register and apply for an ID card. Non-compliance would likely mean the loss of their job. The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) is in fierce opposition to the mandatory imposition of ID cards, which, initially were to be rolled out on a voluntary basis, with six to one against. BALPA intends to fight the introduction of this legislation with every lawful means at its disposal.

Let this be a warning to all of us and let us all be united in opposing, what will become, the blanket imposition of ID cards.

UK security manufacturer TSSI has even expressed doubts as to the value of airside ID cards and what the real benefits are to the general public. Precisely. They are not designed to protect the public but as an instrument of state control, pure and simple.

NorthLink Ferries who operate services between mainland Scotland and Orkney now require photo ID for all those above the age of 16 before they can board one of their ferries. Reasons given to a member of NO2ID who questioned the need for such ID was that they were sailing into international waters which is clearly absurd. He was then told that it was for security and safety purposes, then later informed it was because of the size of the vessel - again clearly nonsense as vessels of greater size than those of NorthLink Ferries’ fleet have presently no such requirement.

I carry photo ID for my senior citizen’s free bus pass, but that is different, for you are proving your visual identity in order to gain a concession. To have to show photo ID to merely to travel across a short stretch of domestic water, when having bought a ticket, is plainly preposterous. What precedent is there for such legislation. When was an Orkney ferry last subject to a terrorist attack? And in any case how does photo ID mitigate against such possibilities. It doesn’t. And again it’s not meant to. The Orkney experience is a prelude to what, I fear, will become standard operating procedure in this country if this government has its way, and it’s not part of EU legislation, this is something purely hatched by the movers and shakers that ultimately form political direction in this country and it can only be described as Big Brother oppression. If this thought train is allowed to continue, I’ll have show photographic evidence every time I board an Isle of Wight ferry, then photo ID will be built into every train ticket you buy, photo ID required at the supermarket checkout etc etc etc. It musn’t be allowed to start as this ends up being the slippery slope into state incarceration!