Only 8,000 ask about ID cards in Manchester


by Sunny Hundal    
4:07 pm - August 28th 2009

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Only 8,000 people in Manchester have enquired about ID cards in Manchester following a trial in the city, the Manchester Evening News reports.

The number of people who will sign up is likely to be much less.

A MEN story reported:

During a live webchat at the M.E.N offices, Lord Bill Brett, the minister responsible for the introduction of the ID card scheme, admitted only a small percentage of the population had asked about the voluntary scheme.

The cards will cost £30 and contain biometric details of holders.

He said he foresaw the cards becoming ‘the accepted form of ID in the UK’.

But a poll on this website revealed 81 per cent would not be taking part in the trial.

Lord Brett stressed the government had ‘no intention to make ID cards compulsory’. Asked why Manchester had been chosen for the pilot, he said: “Manchester is a major city, with a large young population, a large university and major airport.”

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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. Daniel Hoffmann-Gill

I want one…

Manchester population: about 460k

People asking about ID cards: 8000

i.e. 1.7%

no indication of what they asked; e.g. “when are they being introduced / under what circumstances / so I can get my family out of this town?”

3. Daniel Hoffmann-Gill

Or perhaps the classic query:

“What is an ID card?”

Only 8,000 people in Manchester have enquired about ID cards in Manchester following a trial in the city, the Manchester Evening News reports.

And they all have the same address (arf)

5. Silent Hunter

Only 8000 enquiries comprising 1.7% of the population of Manchester eh?

That’s heartening; there are clearly not as many Labour supporting idiots in Manchester as the corrupt, repressive, authoritarian Labour Party would have us believe.

If Labour can’t even get support in their most tribal of territories, then it starts to look like an electoral wipe out across the country come election night.

Praise be!

6. Shatterface

The only biometric data I intend to carry is my face.

7. Left Outside

But how could the Government recognise you with your shattered face… hahaha… ahem… oh dear

Tatoo biometric data on our faces or buttocks or penises as required.

Remember the Solly Neasden book in which a naked prisoner is asked what is tatooed on his willy and he says, “Well, Comrade, You can’t read it now but it says Krushchev … but it needs a little Furtseyeva to warm it up” and one has to know that at that time Madame Furtseyeva was the Soviet Minister of Culture.

Who were the enquirers?

All called Ali Mohammed Abdullah or Mohammed Ali Abdullah or Abdullah Ali Mohammed and all living in a basement Al Qaeda cell / bomb factory?

“Yes, officer. I am want ID and airside pass, isn’t it!”


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  1. Jane Fleming

    RT @libcon: : Only 8,000 ask about ID cards in Manchester http://bit.ly/10pG17 Lord Bill Brett [why LORD?} charged with finding out





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