Lib Dems say, "Renew your passport before it's too late" (Islington Liberal Democrats)

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

Lib Dems say, "Renew your passport before it's too late"

March 6, 2007 1:55 AM

Islington Lib Dems Bridget Fox, Farhana Hoque, Cllr Marisha Ray & Cllr Emily Fieran-Reed join the protests against the new rules

Liberal Democrat campaigners joined members of the NO2ID campaign at City & Islington College, to highlight the Labour government's latest damaging changes to passport and identity rules.

Islington & Finsbury residents who apply for new passports after March 26th will have to travel to an 'enrolment' centre to face an intrusive interview for their passport. The UK ID & Passport Service estimates 1 in 4 will have to cancel their travel plans, because they do not get a passport in time. Young people who are getting their first passport are first in line for the new interviews.

There is an alternative. By applying for new passports BEFORE 26th March, people can avoid this pointless and expensive bureaucracy. You can renew at any time [link to www.renewforfreedom.org], regardless of how long your passport has to run.

Lib Dem shadow MP Bridget Fox says, "This has nothing to do with protecting our safety or making our lives easier. The Government seems to think putting us all on a database is the answer to all society's problems from terrorism to traffic congestion. Given the failure rate of Government IT projects, you think they would know better by now!

"The Government is already wasting £97,000 a day on the expensive, illiberal ID card scheme [link to www.no2id.net]. They should scrap it and use the money to pay for more police officers - a much more practical way to fight crime."

Local sixthformer Farhana Hoque adds, "I'm outraged at how repressive the Government is being. I've already got my passport and I urge other young people to do the same before it's too late."

To find out more about the local NO2ID campaign, contact Caroline Day <<a href="mailto:cazzano2id@yahoo.co.uk">cazzano2id@yahoo.co.uk>