Sometimes I feel a bit sorry for Gordon Brown. The prime minister is said to have got quite tetchy with some reporters yesterday. Understandably so given how bold the press corps seem to be with him now. We're not used to this kind of lack of deference to a prime minister. I'm not sure it was even like this with John Major.
Brown was named World Statesman of the Year last week. Instead, the press focused on the lack of a one-to-one meeting between him and Barack Obama. On Sunday, Andrew Marr asked him about his health and taking pills. This is a sure sign of lack of authority. Tony Blair actually had to be admitted to hospital with heart problems in 2003 and no one made a big deal out of it.
Listening to Brown's speech at the Labour conference though, the feelings of sympathy quickly pass. The spin on his ID cards announcement particularly leaped out for me. He said "And so, conference, I can say to you today: in the next parliament, there will be no compulsory ID cards for British citizens." This wasn't a new announcement. And it isn't the whole truth either.
The issue of physical cards we may or may not have to carry around is a smokescreen. The main issue is the central identity database. This will hold your biometric data and log any checks that are made on it by government and other relevant agencies.
What allows Brown to say it is not compulsory is that your details only go on it when you apply or renew your passport or driving licence. If you don't travel or drive, then sure, you're fine.
This is part of the soft approach the government take on the issue. Previously there was speculation of what would happen to people who refused to carry one. If the population had been compelled en masse all at once into the scheme it could have led to poll tax-style protests.
Instead the population has been diced up. Recent immigrants were the first to be told to sign up. Then it was airport workers. Manchester pilots boycotted attempts to force them into it.
What is clear is that if this infringement on liberty is to be opposed then it is going to need concerted action against it. It will no doubt be a key issue leading into the next general election.
Fair and accurate comment, Osama. The argument that is often made is that those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear. Which isn't true as this scares me quite a lot, and I'm not going to hide it. Q
Posted by: MekQuarrie | 04 October 2009 at 12:35 AM