A trail starts on Monday of the proposed ID cards…but what do you think of them? I’m personally against them really, since I don’t think they will be of benefit. The arguments put forward for them are, generally…

Prevent illegal immigration
I can’t see how this can be the case. Why will an illegal immigrant find it any more difficult to ‘disappear’? They don’t have any identification documents at the moment, so why will not having a card hinder them? Unless, of course, we’re going to be forced to produce them at request, which is a dangerous route to take.

Prevent illegal working
Most employers who have illegal workers know that the workers are illegal. Besides which, we all have National Insurance numbers that can (and do) do this anyway.

Aid anti-terrorism measures
If I’m going to fly a jumbo into a towerblock, why will a plastic card stop me? The Spanish have identity cards, and they’ve suffered one of the worst terrorist attacks of modern times.

Tackle identity theft
This depends very much on how they are used, and if they are used as I suspect, as a single identity document in themselves, then stealing this card immediately opens you to identity theft. Biometric data is only useful for those who have readers, and photographs don’t prevent someone passing themselves off as someone else, as we see with stolen Passports every day.

Reduce benefit fraud and abuse of public services
We have a number of systems already in place to ensure that public services are only used by those entitled. If these were properly enforced, which would be a much cheaper option, then there would be no need for any new system (eg you are supposed to take your NHS Card each time you go to the doctors….Do you?)

Enhance sense of community
Tell me this is a joke. If I was racist, I would still be racist whether or not the other person had a card.

I do understand that they would be a handy form of ID, but that’s an argument against them. When you have to provide two forms of photo ID, it’s hard to find them, you have to go searching to dig out your passport and driving licence (or similar). If you have this card on you all the time, and your Driving Licence, then there’s two forms of photo ID that are stolen right off the bat if your bag is stolen.

The whole point of this ID process is that it’s difficult for the real person, and so almost impossible for a fraudster.

So why ask us all to pay £35 for a card that is pointless?

Originally posted on The LBSC