[2blue4u]

PAY between £30 and £93 (Home Office estimates — every other body involved says it will be substantially more) to be registered...

This is typical of the anti-ID card propaganda. Other 'bodies', such as the LSE (London School of Propaganda), have quoted ridiculously high figures. They are happy for the public to believe these figures relate to the cost to the individual whereas the figures actually relate to the total cost of the scheme over a couple decades. The greater part of these costs relate to improvements to government department computer systems to cater for the ID cards. Many of these systems would be due for replacement or major overhaul within this timescale anyway.

There are so so many good reasons to have ID cards that they easily outweigh the few objections.

You will not (be able to):

Rent or sell a home

Many uses here. To counter mortgage fraud. Confirmation of ID for LR. Confirmation of ID to aid credit check for rental contract etc

Stay in a hotel

If you stay at any hotel abroad you have to hand over your passport (or national ID card) so what’s the problem?

Buy or sell a car

Many uses here. Confirmation of ID for DVLA. Confirmation of ID to aid credit check when purchasing/leasing. And I would hope that new measures brought in to make good use of the ID card could reduce the number of unregistered/untaxed/uninsured vehicles that are driven by urban low-life and illegals.

Buy a mobile phone

Two aspects to this. 1) Easier granting of credit if obtaining a contract phone. 2) linking phone/number to an individual helps crime fighting.

Open or close a bank account

If the ID card helps to reduce the wealth of other information and evidence you currently need to gather together before opening a bank account then I cannot imagine how anyone can claim this is a backward step?!?!

Travel overseas

Other Europeans are able to travel freely throughout Europe with just their simple national ID card – and have done for many decades. We have to carry a full Passport.

Obtain medical care

Confirm entitlement to free NHS treatment. What’s wrong with this? Long long everdue.

Attend an institute of education

Confirm entitlement to tax-payer funded resources. What’s wrong with this? Long long everdue.

Work or run a business

Why should Tony’s Illegals work or operate businesses outside of the system?!?! It’s about time someone other than me paid tax in this country!!!!!!!!!!

Be declared dead (or alive)

Just another method to help identify a body. If it prevents a grieving widow from having to identify a badly mutilated body then it will be worth it for that family.

Be registered to vote

We currently have the most lax controls in the world when it comes to checking the status of voters. I cannot imagine any thinking person believes it is wrong to establish a persons right to vote - and preventing those without the right to vote from doing so.

There is so much rot talked about when it comes to ID Cards. For a start - they are 'ID Cards' and not data receptacles as many people think. They are merely an aid to confirming ones ID in those cases where you need (or should need) to prove your ID before obtaining a service or whatever. They will speed confirmation of ID and therefore speed of delivery of the service. They will also deny services to those not entitled. This is long long overdue in this country. Bring it on.