One Good Reason Why Every British Citizen Should Be Issued With An Id Card.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5623025/The-mother-branded-illegal-immigrant-paying-tax-30-years.html

[waterboatman]

I've got one. It's called a driving licence.

[EDDIE51]

AOG The story is part of the Windrush saga. It has nothing directly to do with ID cards.
Tens of Thousands of people from the British Empire were asked to come to the UK to solve the serious shortage of labour after WW2 . Due to mistakes they were not officially recorded as having arrived in the UK . Now they have no record of being legally here with the right to remain . It was one of the worst mistakes a UK government ever made.

[naomi24]

Eddie, //It has nothing directly to do with ID cards. //

I think the point being made here is that if ID cards were compulsory this issue wouldn't have arisen.

[woofgang]

well it still might have done.....I mean if ID cards were compulsory when the Windrush children arrived then it may well have helped, but at any point afterwards, if they had to prove their entitlement to an ID card, surely the same problem would have arisen?

[naomi24]

Not really with you, Woofgang. If ID cards were compulsory, surely everyone who is entitled to one would be issued with one - those people included. They must have National Insurance numbers and legitimate access to National Health and education services., etc, so they're in the system.

[woofgang]

naomi, they were in the system and were still threatened with deportation.

[anotheoldgit]

EDDIE51
/// They were trialed a few years back. But within 5 days the first forged ones were starting to appear.So they were dropped. ///

Obviously not secure enough, if they had the security methods that are built into bank notes that would be good enough.

[anotheoldgit]

Eddie51

/// It was one of the worst mistakes a UK government ever made. ///

What was, the introduction of mass immigration?

Regarding this Windrush problem, why has it took over 70 years for the problem to come to light?

[woofgang]

because hitherto no one asked the windrush folk to prove they had a right to stay here. They were "in the system" with NHS numbers and NI numbers and that had been enough, as it should have been.

[naomi24]

Woofgang, //naomi, they were in the system and were still threatened with deportation. //

I know - and that's the point I'm making. ID cards would negate the necessity of checks elsewhere.

[rowanwitch]

Chip us like vets do pets.... few seconds discomfort and losing it won't be a problem.

[EDDIE51]

AOG The 'Windrush' migrants were supposed to have been issued with landing cards on arrival but most were never given them. Then the records of the cards that were issued were destroyed in another government mistake. The landing cards were their proof of the legal right to remain in the UK. This entire sorry story has been a series of monumental mistakes by UK governments over many years.
They have finally realised just how bad the situation is and are pulling out all the stops to ensure the situation is corrected. The government has been forced into a series of humiliating apologies.
The latest news is that all those affected will have the correct paperwork issued within 4 weeks . I have major doubts it will happen,especially in so short a time.

[anotheoldgit]

EDDIE51

/// The latest news is that all those affected will have the correct paperwork issued within 4 weeks ///

Then comes the question of compensation, that's what it is really about, me thinks.

[youngmafbog]

AOG, some people have been really affected, lost jobs, homes etc.

As you know I am no fan of compensation but I think in this case then we need to put the findings of many Governments over the years right.

[naomi24]

aog, //Then comes the question of compensation, that's what it is really about, me thinks. ..//

Methinks your thinking is grossly awry. These people have a very valid complaint.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43782241

[Mamyalynne]

//Then comes the question of compensation, that's what it is really about, me thinks.//

AOG, I read that and I despair.

[rowanwitch]

My OH was in the Merchant Navy for years and had a shed load of free ID CARDS,Never bothered him if he was asked for proof of ID

[bhg481]

Oh! How embarrassing - it seems the decision to scrap the cards was taken by the Labour Government in 2009.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43806710