One Card To Rule Them All
Within days of the election results and a new government, ID cards are once again - as predicted - being pushed. More than 21 years ago a friend wrote this article in the Independent in response to the then-government trying to introduce National ID cards into the UK.
'Spain's card is a documento nacional de identidad or DNI, three letters integral to Spanish life. It carries personal details and an encrypted fingerprint, but its key feature is its unique number, which it shares with the holder's passport, driving licence and tax files. It is this element of the card that Whitehall most wants.'
The article continued: 'The benefits Mr Blunkett believes identity cards will bring are hard to spot. His claims that they will cut crime, illegal working and immigration would astound Spaniards, who draw no connection between the DNI and crime prevention. They know the best crooks all carry forged cards: how, otherwise, could they open bank accounts to launder their loot ?'
'Spaniards have long needed them to open bank accounts; now they are vital for any credit-card purchase, and bureaux de change won't serve you without them. It's also impossible to buy a mobile telephone without the DNI, for the network will log its number with that of the phone.'
ID cards have been trialed before. The £1bn scheme was launched in Greater Manchester in November 2010 but proved a hugely expensive failure, with only 13,200 people signing up. This despite Civil servants being urged to sign up their own families for ID cards. Here The full shambles of the ID card trial in Greater Manchester