Lib Dem Councillors Promote Renew for Freedom Campaign (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

Lib Dem Councillors Promote Renew for Freedom Campaign

September 13, 2006 4:43 PM

lib dems with local resident campaigning against ID cards

Local Residents sign Lib Dem petition against ID cards

This week Lib Dems including Councillors Emily Fieran-Reed and Anna Berent joined NO2ID campaigners in promoting the Renew for Freedom campaign.

The Lib Dems and NO2ID are recommending that residents renew their passport before 1st October 2006 in order to stay off the government's National Identity Register (NIR) database.

Any one who registers for a passport after 1st October will automatically have to go through the process to get an ID card, and have to pay extra.

Councillors were out raising awareness around Highbury and Islington Station and getting people to sign a petition against ID Cards. Residents can find out more information on www.renewforfreedom.net

Emily Fieran-Reed, Councillor for St Mary's Ward said

"I am deeply concerned about the way this legislation is being introduced and what it really means.

"We were out explaining what the Government is doing, and advising people to get their passports renewed before October. Many Islington residents were appalled by what Labour was doing. To quote one of the many people we spoke to, "It's very un British!" "

Anna Berent, Councillor for Mildmay said:

"The Government have been running lots of IT schemes recently but they all see to go wrong, and cost a fortune. This is the governments biggest plan for an IT scheme yet, and will probably end up as another costly estate. Imagine how many more nurses and police we could have for the billions of pounds that they will spend on this. "

ends

Notes to editors

Please find attached a picture of Liberal Democrat Councillors with local resident Katy Macky signing a petition against the introduction of ID cards.

1) On 1st October the UK Identity and Passport Service (UKIPS) will make all first time adult passport applicants attend an 'identity authentication interview'. It is likely that this will be extended to everyone in time when they renew their passport. If so UKIPS will refuse to renew your passport unless you attend an official interview and agree to be fingerprinted and give a wide range of personal information for a "National Identity Register" database.

2) The National Identity Register (NIR) will be the biggest store of personal data in the world. And once you are on it, you are on it for life. You will be required to update any details about you that change for the official record, or be fined.

3) 'ID burn rate leaps again' No2ID press release - http://www.no2id.net/index.php

4) 'DWP ditched £141 million IT programme' http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/05/dwp_it_halted/

1. Further details about the campaign can be found at http://www.renewforfreedom.org/NO2ID_Factsheet1.doc

2. NO2ID is a non partisan organisation campaigning against the introduction of ID cards and the National Identity Register database. For more details visit www.no2id.net