Things You Can Do Now To Fight ID
If we are to succeed against the national identity scheme, our campaign now needs to move beyond complaining what is bad about it - we know that!! - and prepare for concerted refusal and outright revolt. The Poll Tax came in and was defeated by local activists taking notice and learning from opposition to the earlier trials in Scotland, and applying them to build a countrywide campaign of defiance. ID cards are Labour's own version of a 'tax on being alive'. We can scupper ID cards as soon as they try and force us to register if we start preparing now. We cannot allow the state to get away with becoming more authoritarian than it already is. Once the scheme is in place it will be harder, although certainly not impossible, to beat it.
Get Involved
Get involved with your local Defy-ID or NO2ID group, or set up your own. Help us produce and distribute information leaflets and plan other actions.
Nottingham Defy-ID meets informally most Wednesdays at The Sumac Centre from 6-7pm.
Get Informed
ID is likely to affect different groups of our society in many different ways. You may think that it doesn't apply to you, but think again. We know that applications to the Student Loans Company will be linked to ID, probably so they can keep tabs on any address changes, and university students may even have to have an ID card to get a loan. Charles Clarke also wants to gather ID information on other students and school leaver through the Connexions Card scheme for 13-19 years olds. What do you think about that? Come and tell us if you have views on how police harassment might change as a result of ID cards, or if you are worried that ID cards could be used to deny you benefits or healthcare.
Get The Message Out
Distribute information against ID in your local community or social centre, libraries, health centres - wherever you can. Copy our leaflets and post them to your neighbours.
Get The Inside Information
Tell us about any ID related developments in your workplace. A word of warning: our local councils, who are likely to be involved with collecting addition personal data from the electoral role or council tax registers, are in general very authoritarian against anyone taking autonomous action. As well as their antics over the poll tax, they hated local people turning up in council meetings to speak out against swimming pool closures. We would be pleased to hear from any council workers or anyone else who can help the campaign find when ID data collection starts to happen locally. We already know that our police chief would like Nottingham to be chosen as a trial area for ID registration. We would also love to hear from any Experian workers who know their employer is planning to operate their part of the scheme.
Get Your Passport
Although this part of the ID cards bill has been opposed in the House of Lords, it is likely that personal information from passport application will be used to build the National Identity Register and issue you with an unwanted ID card. Later on, you are likely to have to attend in person to get your fingerprints or eyes scanned. So, if you need a new passport, it might be good idea to get one now before the new systems are up and running properly. Make sure the photo is not too clear so it is harder from them to extract the facial data - use the Post Office "Check and Send" service to see what you can get away with. There are lots of individual things you might think of to confound the ID scheme. Tell us, but best of all, tell your friends and neighbours, as this won't be prevented by small numbers of individuals helping themselves, only by a mass refusal campaign.
Get Angry
Remember that local politicians of whatever colour cannot be trusted - under the Tories, Labour councillor leaders in Notts and the city enthusiastically issued poll tax demands and court orders, sent in the bailiffs and condemned local and national demonstrations as mindless riots. But as local people, we supported each other, we defied the court and saw off bailiffs. We were angry and we fought back. Many of us disappeared of the registers for good. We may have one local Labour MP against ID, but he is a lone voice and the days of lobbying really are gone. We know the government does not listen and that ID will be beaten on the streets or not at all.