HMForces.co.uk

Residents in Manchester will become the first people in Britain to be able to apply for ID cards. They can now directly apply to attend appointments from November 30 to have their photograph and fingerprints taken for the £30 cards at Manchester's passport office.

Junior Home Office Minister Meg Hillier said  "The ID cards are very hard to copy and are very secure, with biometric information stored on a database."

Might be interesting to see what you all think about this.

what a load of crap that is - not being able to copy - isn't that what they said about plastic bank cards years ago - and passports etc - forgers are more sophisticated too these days

what a con it is - can't people see it is just another Government money spinner - where all the details will go on a central data base - the disc of which some halfwit civil servant will promptly lose and details sold off to any one willing to pay for them - 30 quid to pay to get one and then the Government  raking it in from every Tom -Dick or Harry who pays the going rate for the details -

the details will be as secure as an unlocked prison -

some people might call me a tad cynical -

guess who wont be rushing to get one

Well, for a change , I´m going to go against the flow.

As far as I can remember Germans have had a National ID card, and I haven´t heard anyone ever complain about it. The pros far outweigh any cons, especially if you are a law abiding citizen.

It allows you to be able to prove WHO you are and WHERE you live which is very important these days. Be it in a Government Office, Bank, Police or anywhere where you need to prove (for your own good) who you are its ideal. No need to carry utility bills and other bits of paper which actually don´t prove nothing, one small cheque card sized ID wil do it all, so whats wrong with that?

If you are worried about "big brother" watching you then no need. The data on there is only essential data which is only used to confirm who you are. If this data was used to find serious criminals then why not? Have you got something to hide?

Thats your opinion Joyceecee of the bad side but don´t the positive aspects out-weigh those of the negative?

As for your argument of "I have a tongue in my head" that just doesn´t wash because as you stated yourself terrorists will not tell the truth so what says you are if and when you are asked? The ID Cards will of course be forged by criminals but that goes for anything of any value, such as money, driving licences and passports etc. The thing is, the people asking you to prove who you are will have the correct equipment to test the card for its authenticity.

The cards could also go a long way to stop the lengthy holding of innocent suspects whilst they are checked out to see if they really are who they say they are! Students and/or young people will find them invaluable when having to show ID to buy alcohol, cigarettes or for gaining entry into certain establishments.

The only negative that I can clearly see is the cost of 30 GB Pounds, does seem a little steep I admit, the Germans are charged €8 which is approximately 7 GB Pounds.

BTW. I liked your ref. to ID cards in the 40s and 50s, if that might apply to this new card as well, do you know something we don`t?

willied says

Will they be issued in about 40 different languages so our ethnic friends wont feel discriminated against?

will this also require the need to carry 40 different translation  machines or 40 different ethnic  persons to stop only people of their own race or will we have 50 million complaints of rascism in the courts ????????????

gets ridiculous doesn't it -

It will still have to be in different languages so the immigrants can understand it!

many immigrants and illegals don't bother too learn English any more - they demand an interpreter - whooopeeeeeeeeee - it's their human right - ain't life grand

Are you saying immigrants and illegals aren't required to have them  - well excuse me -!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  if any one should it should be them - British people only to have them - well there's racism for you - if you  are a white Anglo Saxon British citizen  - you are requiired to have an ID card to prove it - or even a coloured British person  - bet they will be exempt though  as it would be deemed to be rascist  for them to carry ID cards -

what will be the next step - round up all british citizens and put them in compounds and turn the country over to foreigners -

I hope you excuse my cynicism and scepticism on ID cards -  

joyceecee123 says ...

what will be the next step - round up all british citizens and put them in compounds and turn the country over to foreigners -

I thought that had already happened!!

no Tom   it wont because there will be illegals who want to buy them to pretend to be  British - call me a sceptic and cynic  if you like   but some people will always try to make money and selling them to illegals will be a good business still - there are always ways to fiddle a system - years ago it was from people killed in the blitz - only difference from then and now it is so easy with computers and hacking into systems is common enough

why should people with no criminal records and nothing to hide have to be on  a central database anyway with ID cards -

good citizens don't normally commit serious crimes though - do they ?  

that is a big might to be on a central data base - with some fool in the civil service taking it home to leave on the train because he forgot to pick his briefcase up -

and no they aren't supposed to take them home - but recent history says they do - wonder how much their bribes were -  

dreme says

So your answer to my question is????

answer with another question - why would a normally good citizen commit a crime - ???????

sorry that one wont wash dreme - a big might is no reason for ID cards

don't preach about rapists and victims families to me - dreme - I have been up that road - 90 % of the time the rapist  is known by the victim

murder is often for what is seemed a valid reason by the murderer - and also often localised

yes - there are serial rapists and murderers but they are rare - and usually planned like a military operation leaving very little trace until they make a mistake and get caught on that last one

ID cards would not help with that unless they had to be shown every place we went and we do not live in a police state yet

dreme says

Think you are missing the point here, maybe JUST because you don´t want one!

you could be right there -  boy

will never get me agreeing on this one - unless it is for foreigners only

Tom -  you would get NO compensation for it -none has been paid on all the other data lost -

at least if they ain't got it they can't lose it - problem solved on that point

I have to say I am all for immigrants having them so we can keep a check on them and most foreigners without them - would be illegal and as such out the door - in a leaky boat back to wherever they came from - there will always be scams like this - and this is all this is - another government scam to see how many people are foolish enough to go and get one -

been checking round my family on this one - and guess what - no  takers - could they all be as sceptical as me