UK's Blair Dismisses Online Anti ID-Card Petition

An anonymous reader writes "Prime Minister Tony Blair has responded personally via email to 28,000 online petitioners opposing the UK's planned identity card scheme, and has closed the online petition. The email reads: 'We live in a world in which people, money and information are more mobile than ever before. Terrorists and international criminal gangs increasingly exploit this to move undetected across borders and to disappear within countries. Terrorists routinely use multiple identities — up to 50 at a time... ID cards which contain biometric recognition details and which are linked to a National Identity Register will make this much more difficult.'"

Comments

No big surprise

[nagora]

Tony Blair is a spineless shit of a man who does what he's told by Bush. Fuck them both.

TWW

Re:No big surprise

[skoaldipper]

You know, this blanket animosity towards our world leader's grows tiresome to read, and it permeates the air with it's stale decay for effect. You and others should know that some of us American servicemen would gladly die for the UK (in any war or for any pretext) after Blair's strong support for us after 9/11 and the fight on terrorism. I am just one of them; although a retired Vet now I would gladly grab my duffle bag and cross the pond if Blair so beckoned. Sure, our leaders make mistakes, as I strongly believe Blair is here by supporting this ID system. My own president is accountable for many as well, but I couldn't walk a yard in either man's shoes even if I tried. Other men besieged with such burdens and pressing matters would buckle to their knees under such responsibilities. We are fortunate to have both men at such times, for all their failings. How about we start channeling more of this vigor into the democratic process instead; like this online petition for one. We aren't entirely helpless as citizens either. Some of us actually vote. For as much as I disagree with Cindy Sheehan in her protests, I admire her for her resolve and action. Have you or anyone like you even picked up a phone to dial a congressman or representative from your country? Dare I say her efforts alone are greater than the sum of all bloggers and forum trawlers I frequent on the subject? Yes, I do.

The article is wrong

[Fnagaton]

Tony Blair did not close the petition. The petition had an ending date of five days ago and that date didn't change.

Anyway, I see the ID card scheme is a good idea and I will gladly use it because it means I will not need to carry around so much paper proof of my identity for when I need to prove it to open bank accounts, get a mortgage etc. Not needing my most sensitive and important paper based ID easily to hand also means I can store it in a more secure location. If my ID card does get stolen it will be easier to cancel and to replace than if I lost my paper based ID. All these things I see as helping to reduce ID fraud and that is a big positive in my book.