Identity Cards In The UK 

What do you know and why you should know.

There are a few countries that do not have identity cards such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, India, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. However, there are many countries who do. The whole of Europe has identity cards. Travelling within Europe, they never use passports. They just use their ID card and the whole of Europe is open to them, travelling with a card that looks like a drivers’ licence. This is also their voter ID. Northern Ireland has had a long- established voter ID. I suspect that this has its roots in the history of the troubles there.

The last time the UK had ID cards was during World War II. They were introduced for security reasons and in 1952 they were withdrawn by Churchill’s government because of the tension they created between the police and innocent citizens.

In 2006, Tony Blair’s government introduced ID cards as a state-approved counter-terrorism initiative. This was repealed in 2010.

Amber Rudd, former Home Secretary of this government said: ”Britain should adopt a new high-tech version of ID cards to tackle fraud, illegal immigration and welfare abuse.”

In the next general election you will need to have ID with your voting card. So if you have a passport or a drivers’ licence make sure you take this with you. VOTER ID IS ACTUALLY COMING IN. If you do not drive or have ever travelled abroad, you will have to find something else to identify you. You can have a passport type photo done and apply for a VOTER AUTHORITY CERTIFICATE.

What is happening here is that we all do not fit into these boxes that the government is trying to put us in. The Electoral Reform Society and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which campaigns against poverty, are both very concerned that the ID laws passed last year will affect people who are poor, people on the edge of society and people who are just struggling to get by. Many of you will not realise you have been affected until you turn up at the voting booth and discover these problems when it is too late. You will then not be allowed to vote. These local elections will give you the chance to get things right for the general election next year.

In the USA, voter ID registration has been used to stop people from voting, especially if you are poor, a person of colour or just young.

They are trying to do that here even though there have been only a few minor irregularities with voter fraud. It is not a big issue in Britain. However, look at Amber Rudd’s quote and let us analyse it. “Fraud” is the first word of this so-called problem. In fact the one problem we have in the UK is not fraud but apathy. People do not try to find out what the politicians represent. So often, I have heard the statement, “There is no point in bothering to vote, because they are all the same.” Well, ladies and gentlemen, they are not all the same.” Don’t believe the lies you are told by the right-wing press. Look around and make an effort to find out what is really happening. People have fought to get you the vote. It is a precious thing. Make sure you have everything with you that you need to vote on the day.

Looking again at Amber Rudd’s statement.

It helps us to tackle illegal immigration. This is the racist one. We need to understand that we are not being swamped by illegal immigrants. France and Germany for example take tons more refugees than we do. We, however, publicise it so much and tell lies. So let us get this straight. When somebody arrives on this shore after having had the most dangerous of journeys, they are asylum seekers or refugees. THEY ARE NOT ILLEGAL. If someone goes through all the procedures which takes months and then is turned down, they still have the right to appeal. They are still not illegal. If eventually they have been rejected and are going to be deported, they then go into hiding, then yes, they are illegal because they are hiding from the law. This does not mean that the law is right. Very often charities and charitable people will help them because they believe the government and the law is unjust.

When I was on the demonstration in Cardiff recently Resist Racism, the chant was:

Say it loud, say it clear,

Refugees are welcome here.

We did not shout out that illegal immigrants are welcome here. Refugees are NOT illegal.

A famous playwright and barrister, John Mortimer, once said that if you want justice, don’t go to the law and the courts. You will get the law but you will not get justice.
Now let us look at the final words. She wanted voter ID to tackle welfare abuse. This is another term which makes people feel happy. We all know someone who has said, “ I know someone in my street who doesn’t want to work and wants to live off benefits.”

Did you know that in this country many people are not claiming money they are actually entitled to because they do not know about it. Of course, there are some people who abuse the system but I can assure you it is not the majority. First of all , at these benefit offices you are made to feel like a thief, just by sitting there and facing the officials.

Ken Loach , the well known film director, made a film called “I, Daniel Blake” which makes this point perfectly. The system actually killed Daniel.

Unfortunately, in this country, the ID card is not about being a free citizen, it is about control.

Protect yourselves by knowing the facts and finding out about the issues and make sure you can vote on the day.