Manchester campaigners have condemned the Home Secretary's announcement on identity cards as a "meaningless smokescreen", under which the Government will continue their plan to coerce people into state control. Under new proposals, airport workers and non-EU foreign nationals will be forced onto the Government's databases, and biometric passports may replace identity cards as physical ID documents. The NO2ID group said the move would add nothing to security, and would put airport staff and teachers at risk of losing their jobs unless they sign up to the controversial scheme.

Certain aspects of the scheme which were altered in Thursday's announcement were deemed vital when the National Identity Scheme was first proposed, but have now been dropped. These include the use of fresh new databases rather than relying on the existing systems which were considered too inaccurate. Much of the proposed "secure" biometric technology has also now been discredited by the Government's own research.

Local NO2ID co-ordinator Dave Page said:

"Another day, another contradictory announcement from another Home Secretary. Three years have passed since the Identity Cards Bill was first proposed, and hundreds of millions of pounds have already been spent, but the Government needs another consultation exercise on the National Identity Scheme. The head of the Identity and Passport Services recently admitted that the Government have no idea how the National Identity Register is supposed to work, how much it will cost, what it will do or who will use it. This scheme is a joke, and the joke is on the public who will be forced onto these databases at greater risk of identity theft and will have to pay through the nose.

"It doesn't matter whether your identity document is an ID card or a passport. It doesn't matter whether the National Identity Register is one central database or a network of interlinked ones. What matters is that every person in the country will be forced into this expensive, useless scheme which will store and track details of your life. We know that this has nothing to do with stopping identity theft, benefit fraud or terrorism, but the Government are still trying to spin the same old tired agenda."

Phil Booth, NO2ID's National Coordinator said:

"This is a marketing exercise. NO2ID called it that when we leaked the Home Office strategy five weeks ago, and it's clearly nothing more than a marketing exercise now. Whether you volunteer or are coerced onto the ID database, there's no way back. You'll be monitored for life. That's why the government is targeting students and young people, to get them on before they realise what's happening".

Manchester NO2ID will be holding an awareness-raising stall in St. Ann's Square, Manchester from 2pm-4pm on Saturday March 8th, and their monthly meeting is on Wednesday 12th March in the upstairs function room of the Town Hall Tavern, Tib Lane, Manchester.

ENDS

For more information or interview, please contact Dave Page on 07982 814 441, or via e-mail at manchester@no2id.net

See http://wikileaks.cx/leak/nis-options-analysis-outcome.pdf for an annotated copy of the Government's leaked strategy document, including details of methods to "coerce" people onto the National Identity Register.

NO2ID is the UK-wide, non-partisan campaign opposing the government's planned ID card and National Identity Register. We bring together individuals and organisations from all sections of the community and seek to ensure that the case against ID cards and the database state is forcefully put forward in the media, in the corridors of power and at grassroots level. We continue to actively campaign on all fronts for the abolition of the ID scheme and repeal of the Identity Cards Act 2006.

Manchester NO2ID is the local group associated with the national campaign, working to inform the debate in the Greater Manchester area and across the North-West. Our website is http://manchester.no2id.net/