UK ID Card Bill struggles over first hurdle

UK ID Card Bill struggles over first hurdle by Privacy International

In a close vote 28th June, the Government succeeds in getting the biometric-ID card bill into the next stage of the Parliamentary process.

The Government promised concessions on costs, satisfying some of the Labour rebels. The backbench rebellion was larger than expected, however, and the Government won the vote by a majority of 31, despite a Parliamentary majority of 66.

The debate in the House of Commons included over thirty speeches, with at least 25 of these speakers expressing their oppositition to the Bill for a variety of reasons. Predominant amongst those reasons were costs, civil liberties, race relations, the lack of necessity, the divide between civil law countries (with ID cards) and common law countries (usually without), and the card's likely failure as a large-scale computing project, including the fallibility of technology.

The Government continued to insist that the card was a result of international obligations on biometric passports, would combat identity theft and serious organised crime.

The rebellion is expected to grow as public support continues to fall and as the MPs look into the bill in greater detail. The bill now goes to Committee Stage, with a number of sittings between next week and the 19th of July, before Parliament breaks for the summer.

The full debate is available on Theyworkforyou.com.