Right, now it’s starting to get interesting!
According to the Guardian Nick Clegg has declared that if we do all end up being required to carry ID cards around with us, he will personally break the law and refuse to do so.
He compared it to the civil disobedience campaigns against the poll tax and other things - and of course it also is very reminiscent of the person he keeps talking about: Clarence Willcock, who ended Britain’s ID cards regime in the 1950s by refusing to carry one, with the words to the policeman “I don’t believe in that sort of thing - I’m a Liberal”
Lib Dems are against ID Cards, of course we all know that.
But I’m sure I’m not the only party member who has found myself having conversations with other small ‘l’ liberal friends who agree with us on this and much else but don’t vote for us - because they say they think we need to go much harder on this kind of issue, and really make the overweening approach to the state of Labour, much more of an issue. “Less bleating, more hard action” seems to be their message - and of course capturing these liberals actually to vote Liberal Democrat is a key task for us if we are to break through.
Well here is one of our leading members - and hopefully our next Leader - doing just that!
It’s moments like this, when one of our leading members finds a punchy and genuinely meaningful way of putting one of our core beliefs, that really makes me feel optimistic about the future of our party!
October 31st, 2007 at 15:05
While I’m no supporter of ID cards, for me this kind of statement sums up my doubts about Nick Clegg. He is masking his support for right wing economic ideology (economic liberalism a la Thatcher/Joseph) by playing to the libertarian gallery with this sort of gesture politics. Right now I’m veering towards Huhne.
October 31st, 2007 at 23:53
I cannot understand… In the UK do you really can move around without any valid document of identification?
In Italy we must always keep our identity card with us, I find it quite normal, if the police has to do some check they have to know that i am not the person they are looking for
November 11th, 2007 at 14:23
I am opposed to the UK government’s current identity card scheme for reasons of principle and on grounds of cost. I could be persuaded that some kind of identity card might be needed, without this marking the end of civilization as we know it. After all, as Giacomo reminds us, a requirement to carry identification documents is considered quite normal in many other EU nations. However, I have not been persuaded of the merits of the current proposal. I am particularly concerned at suggestions that the government is proposing to sell data to commercial bodies to help fund the scheme (as referred to by Baroness Williams here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7088315.stm).
Having said all that, I am very uncomfortable with supporting campaigns of civil disobedience in a democracy - even one as flawed as that of the UK where governments can win power with less than 40% of the votes cast. The whole purpose of having democratic elections is surely to make laws which all members of the community are then obliged to live by? This is a far from perfect arrangement since it allows a majority to impose its will on a minority, but it is better than the anarchy that could follow if we assumed a right to break laws we passionately disagreed with.
So am I small “l” liberal who might be put off backing the Liberal Democrats by the stance of Nick Clegg, Baroness Williams and others? No. I am actually a Liberal Democrat member of ten years standing who is a little disappointed with the current outbreak of enthusiasm for direct action in our ranks. Like Rob, my initial reaction to Nick Clegg’s statement on this issue was to regard it as “gesture politics” and to veer towards his opponent. Whether I continue to veer that way remains to be seen.
November 12th, 2007 at 17:35
I absolutely do not understand the British people position about ID cards, although I enjoy not having any one when in the UK (how delightful to have the impression to be naked…).
I was told that they (ID cards) would be a blow against freedom and democracy.
Does it mean that all other European countries have less freedom and/or democracy ?