Gestapo Watch:- NO2ID update

[Disco_Destroyer]

NO2ID Supporters’ Newsletter No. 106

++ NO2ID Supporters' Newsletter No. 106 - 11th September 2008 ++

*Contacting us:* Call or email the office - 020-7793-4005 or
(office@no2id.net). Please do not reply to this email. (The from address
is not a working email address)


++ TUC PLEDGES TO RESIST THE NATIONAL IDENTITY SCHEME "WITH ALL
MEANS AT ITS DISPOSAL" ++

This week the Trades Union Congress (TUC) voted at their Congress in
Brighton to resist the National ID scheme with all means at its
disposal, "including consideration of legal action to uphold civil
liberties". The motion was put forward by the British Air Line Pilots'
Association (BALPA) in light of government plans to require workers in
aviation to enrol in the National Identity Scheme in 2009. The motion
states: "Congress sees absolutely no value in the scheme or in
improvements to security that might flow from this exercise and feels
that aviation workers are being used as pawns in a politically led
process which might lead to individuals being denied the right to work
because they are not registered or chose not to register in the scheme."
The motion puts unions on a collision course with the government over
civil liberties and contradicts government spin that "unions approve ID
cards" issued after the Labour Party National Policy Forum at Warwick at
the end of July.


+ NO2ID NEEDS YOUR DATABASE STATE STORIES +

NO2ID is in the middle of putting together a comprehensive briefing
document which explains the concept of 'The Database State' and sets out
in plain language exactly why it's such bad news for everyone of us in
this country.

What we need from you are examples of how the database state has
affected you as an individual - real stories of the consequences of data
sharing and invasion of privacy which will help illustrate exactly why
Transformational Government and The Database State is such a calamitous
project. We're looking for things that have happened to ordinary people
as a ramification of unfettered data sharing and storage. Things like
being mistaken for someone else whilst under the care of the NHS, being
wrongfully blacklisted, loosing or not getting a job. Has something that
should have remained private been revealed with serious consequences for
you or someone close to you?

Please let us know your stories. The more specific examples we have, the
better we can bring home to those in positions of influence the nature
of the threat we are all fighting against and far reaching effects it
will have on all our lives.

Of course, NO2ID is a privacy organisation and any stories will be
treated in the strictest confidence. If you can contact us initially by
email at local.groups@no2id.net we can proceed in the manner most
convenient for you.

*For clarity's sake, by 'The Database State' we mean the The National
Identity Register, the CRB checking system, the DNA database,
Entitlement Cards, the NHS spine, Contact Point, biometrics in schools,
e-borders and e-passports, Club Scan (or other club and bar
fingerprinting schemes) and all related systems.

*+ Many thanks for JRRT donations +*
Many thanks to all those who have sent campaign donations as part of our
Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd (JRRT) matched funding initiative. The
Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd has generously agreed to match, pound
for pound, any new income that NO2ID receives. Which means that for
every pound you give NO2ID will receive TWO pounds to spend campaigning
against the ID scheme and database state. We have already received
around £3,500 specifically marked as for the matched funding appeal.
Please continue to send your donations by cheque to our office (address
at the end of this newsletter - please mark your envelope 'JRRT') or you
can donate by credit card or via PayPal using the 'Donate' button on our
website, http://www.no2id.net (left hand column).
---------------------------------------------------------------------- --


What's next?

*+ Consultation .. Retention Directive +*
The government has launched a consultation on the Electronic
Communications Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations. Responses
should be sent by 31st October by e-mail to
commsdata@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk or by post to Andrew Knight, Home
Office, 5th Floor, Peel Building, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF.
See
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/cons-2008-transposition?view=Bi nary


+ LOCAL GROUPS NEWS +

We now have local groups in 44 of the 69 proposed locations for
interrogation centres - of which just 3 have yet to open. Parliamentary
answers indicate that the most active centres are: Belfast, Birmingham,
Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Newport,
Peterborough and Sheffield.

For information on your nearest interrogation centre, see
www.no2id.net/getInvolved/idCentres.php. If you can help set up a local
group in one of the remaining locations, or anywhere else in the UK,
please contact Matty on local.groups@no2id.net

_*+ Bradford + *_

*+ 8th October - Bradford NO2ID Meeting (2nd Wednesday of the month) +*
Every second Wednesday of the month 6:30pm at Bradford Resource Centre,
17-21 Chapel Street, Bradford, BD1 5DT.

_*+ Bristol +*_

*+ 1st October - Bristol NO2ID meeting +*
Wednesday, 1st October at Deco Lounge on Cotham Hill from 7 - 8pm. Come
and meet your friendly local campaigners on the first Wednesday of every
month.

_*+ Cambridge +*_

***+ 13th September - NO2ID Cambridge Stall +*
Saturday, 13th September at 10am in the usual spot outside Cambridge
Guildhall. Location Map: http://...com/eo42r. As ever, volunteers
to help very welcome - please email cambridge@no2id.net, or text/call
Andrew on 07710 469624 if you can make it.

*+ 1st - October NO2ID pub meeting (1st Wednesday of each month) +*
Wednesday, 1st October 7.30pm at the Salisbury Arms, 76 Tenison Rd,
Cambridge CB1 2DW (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=cb1+2dw). For more
details contact cambridge@no2id.net, or text/call Andrew on 07710 469624.

*+ 12th October - "Taking Liberties" +*
Sunday, 12th October 8pm at 22 Jesus Lane, Cambridge CB5 8BQ. Doors open
7:30pm. Cambridge NO2ID and the Cafe Project
(http://www.cafeproject.org/) are co-hosting a free showing of the
acclaimed documentary "Taking Liberties". For more information on the
film see http://www.noliberties.com/

_*+ Camden and Islington +*_

*+ 7th October - Camden and Islington NO2ID Meeting (Now 1st Tuesday of
the month) +*
Tuesday, 7th October at 8pm. We'll be at our new(ish) venue, The Castle,
54 Pentonville Road, London. We'll try and sit at the big table on the
top level at the back of the pub - if not, just look for the table with
the NO2ID flyers. Nearest tube is either Angel or Kings Cross.
(http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/clubs_bars/venue-2471.php). Please note:
Our meeting days have changed from 1st Mondays to 1st Tuesdays.

Please join our mailing list to keep up with our activities:
http://www.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.camden

_*+ Chelmsford +*_

*+ 22nd September - Chelmsford NO2ID 1st Meeting +*
Monday, 22nd September from 7.30pm at the Two Brewers, 80 Springfield
Rd, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 6JY (opposite Tescos). There's parking round
the back or it's about 10 mins from the Station. The landlord knows
we're coming and you'll recognise us as we'll have some NO2ID leaflets
on the table. Matty Mitford, the local groups coordinator for NO2ID will
be there to give advice and support as necessary. We are thinking of
organising a monthly couple of hours on a Saturday morning campaign
table to promote NO2ID to the public.....and are looking for a good
group (doesn't have to be big) who are up for organising and doing.
Further details: Felicity Mawson on (chelmsford@no2id.net). If you're
unable to attend, but are interested in the activity of the group,
please join the Chelmsford mailing list on:
http://lists.no2id.org/mailman/listinfo/no2id.chelmsford

_*+ Cromer +*_

*+ 6th October - Cromer NO2ID Meeting (1st Monday of each month) +*
Monday, 6th October at 7:30pm, at The White Horse Inn, West Street, Cromer.

_*+ Dorking +*_

*+ 13th, 20th September - Dorking NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday 13th, 20th September - 2 street stalls in 2 weeks to maximise
publicity of our "Question Time" public meeting.

*+ 25th September - "Question Time" Public Meeting +*
Thursday, 25th September at 8.00pm at the Christian Centre, St Martin's
Church, Dorking. On the panel are 2 politicians, Paul Beresford MP and
Alice Humphreys (Lib Dem parliamentary candidate) and two experts, Edgar
Whitley (LSE) and Guy Herbert. All welcome. Local NO2ID'ers please come
along to this event and make yourself known....bring a friend.

*+ 7th October - Dorking NO2ID Meeting *CANCELLED* (usually 1st Tuesday
of Month) +*
Tuesday, 7th October - there will be no meeting in October._**_

_*+ Edinburgh +*_
***
Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh street stall*
Every week, weather permitting, you will find our campaigning stall at
the east end of Princes Street, opposite the Balmoral Hotel. Do drop by
for a chat. New volunteers - please contact John (edinburgh@no2id.net),
and for more group information see http://www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/

*+ 8th October - Edinburgh NO2ID Meeting +*
Wednesday, 8th October at 7pm in the Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria
Street, Edinburgh EH1 2JL - NB in the Bow Room rather than the Library.
The meeting will be the first since the Home Office "Consultation" at
which nine NO2ID demonstrators were arrested. There will be a full
report and discussion of the protest, the arrests and what has happened
since. All are welcome at the meeting, as always.

_*+ Epsom +*_

Epsom NO2ID organised a High Street stall on the 6th September - it went
ahead despite the rain and we picked up 160 petition signatures between
showers. Next meeting to be announced. If you are local and can help in
any way, please get in touch with Geoff at epsom@no2id.net .

_*+ Glasgow +*_

*Most Saturdays 2pm - NO2ID Glasgow street stall*
Most Saturdays there are stalls in Glasgow city centre (usually Buchanan
Street) from about 2pm. Volunteers are always welcome, please contact
Geraint if you would like to help: glasgow@no2id.net

_*+ Kensington & Chelsea +*_

*+ 17th to 20th September 2008 - NO2ID Kensington & Chelsea Stall +*
Wednesday, 17th September to Saturday, 20th September Kensington and
Chelsea NO2ID will have a stall at the Westbourne Grove Church, London
W11 as part of the Life and Liberty Exhibition with film shows and
speakers including Guy Herbert. For more details see
(http://www.westbournegrovechurch.org/html/life_and_liberty.html). We
will be selling mugs as well as handing out leaflets and asking for
signatures. If any one would like to help please contact Jill Manasseh
(kensingtonandchelseano2id@yahoogroups.com
)

_*+ Leeds +*_

*+ 13th September - Leeds NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday, 13th September 1pm - 3pm on Briggate. The stalls have been a
great success and we have seen a significant increase in people who have
registered their support.

_*+ Maidstone +*_

*+ 18th September Maidstone NO2ID meeting +*
Thursday, 18 September, at 7pm, Muggleton Inn, High St, Maidstone.
_**_
_*+ Manchester +*_

Manchester NO2ID has a very busy September coming up; you can check full
details at http://manchester.no2id.net/event/2008/09/01/month
For updates and discussion, join the Manchester NO2ID mailing list at
http://manchester.no2id.net/

*+ 13th September - Manchester NO2ID Street Stall +*
Saturday, 13th September 2pm-4pm in St. Ann's Square to raise awareness
among the public and engage people in discussion about the National
Identity Register. This is the last street stall before the Labour Party
Conference and our Public Meeting, so an extra big presence is needed to
inform as many people as possible. Just turn up in the square at the
start time and look for the NO2ID stall.
http://manchester.no2id.net/content/street-stall-september-2008

*+ 17th September - Manchester NO2ID Meeting +*
Wednesday, 17th September from 7pm-9pm in the Town Hall Tavern, Tib
Lane, Manchester . Sadly this venue is not wheelchair-accessible; please
contact us on manchester@no2id.net if you have accessibility needs. This
is our last meeting before the Labour Party Conference.

*+ 20th September - "Defend Civil Liberties" March +*
On Saturday 20th, Greater Manchester Stop The War Coalition is leading a
march through Manchester as the Labour Party Conference opens, on three
themes, one of which is "Defend Civil Liberties". If you're interested
in joining a NO2ID bloc on the march please contact us on
manchester@no2id.net - if we can get a dozen people marching under a
NO2ID banner it'd look good.

*+ 20th September - Round table gathering against Database State +*
Saturday 20th, 4:30pm-6:30pm, at the Friends Meeting House, Mount Street
(behind Central Library). As part of the Convention of the Left, NO2ID,
Defy-ID and friends present a round-table gathering of organisations
opposed to ID cards and the Database State to share information, develop
tactics and network. With NO2ID local groups co-ordinator Matty Mitford,
and northwest regional co-ordinator Dave Page.

*+ 22nd-24th September - Manchester Students Against ID at Freshers Fair +*
22nd-24th September, Manchester Students Against ID will be getting off
to a strong start at Fresher's Fair, talking about the dangers of the
National Identity Register to new students. We need volunteers for our
stall - if you can spare a few hours to smile and hand out leaflets and
badges, please sign up at http://doodle.ch/wr22xw3q84g2cer7

*+ 22nd - 24th September - Manchester NO2ID at the Labour Party
Conference +*
22nd-24th September, Manchester NO2ID will be flyering conference
delegates at the main security gate outside the Midland Hotel from 9am
to 10am. If you can spare a bit of time before work, please drop by and
grab a handful of flyers. Nearest Metrolink is St. Peter's Square;
nearest train station is Oxford Road.

*+ 22nd September - NO2ID Labour Conference Fringe Debate +*
Monday 22nd September from 1pm-2pm at the Midland Hotel, Manchester.
National NO2ID co-ordinator Phil Booth will be at the official fringe
debate "National ID Cards - will they prevent underage sales?"

*+ 23rd September - Manchester Public Meeting +*
Tuesday 23rd September 7pm at the Reynolds Building, Sackville Street
Campus, University of Manchester. Manchester NO2ID and the Manchester
branch of the British Computer Society present "Privacy and Security in
the Database State", a public meeting. All welcome. Speakers include
national NO2ID co-ordinator Phil Booth.

_*+ Mold +*_

*+ 6th October - NO2ID Mold Meeting (1st Monday of every month)+ *
Monday, 6th October at Y Delyn Wine Bar, King Street, Mold, CH7 1LA.
Contact Sophie McKeand on mold@no2id.net or join the mailing list at:
http://lists.no2id.net/mailman/listinfo/no2id.mold

_*+ Selby +*_

***+ 13th September - Selby NO2ID Street Stall, Pontefract +*
Saturday, 13th September - time & place to be confirmed.

*+ 16th September - Selby NO2ID Meeting +*
Tuesday, 16th September 8pm at the Blue Bell, Monk Fryston.

_*+ Shrewsbury +*_

*+ 13th September - Shrewsbury NO2ID street stall+*
Saturday, 13th September (weather permitting) between 10.30am and 1.30pm
on Pride Hill. Drop by and say hello - if you can stay a little longer
you are welcome to help by handing out leaflets and chatting to people.

*+ 15th September - Shrewsbury NO2ID pub Meeting +*
Monday, 15th September 7.15pm we will be meeting at the Armoury,
Victoria Quay, Victoria Avenue, Welsh Bridge, Shrewsbury(see
www.armoury-shrewsbury.co.uk). Look for a table with NO2ID leaflets
scattered around it. Most of us will be eating, or just come for a
drink. The St Austin's Street car park behind the Armoury is free of
charge after 8pm.

_*+ Southampton +*_
**
*+ 1st October - Southampton NO2ID Meeting (1st Wednesday of the month) +*
Wednesday 3rd October 8pm at the Dolphin pub, Osborne Road South,
Southampton (next to St Denys train station). All are welcome. Email
Sharni, shoshannah@gmail.com for more info/directions.

*+ 2nd October - Screening of "Taking Liberties", hosted by Southampton
NO2ID +*
Thursday, 2nd October 7.30pm at The Art House, 81a Bedford Place
Southampton. Booking required: please phone 02380 238582 or email
info@thearthousesouthampton.co.uk to book a place.

_*+ Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells+ *_

Please do drop by at one of our forthcoming stalls, or even volunteer to
help (we break you in gently!) . We will soon be starting monthly
pub-based meetings for the winter - watch this space. Apologies for the
last newsletter entry which should have read 30th August - not 30th
September.

*+ 20th September - Street Stall Tonbridge +*
Saturday, 20th September 11.00 - 13:00 in alleyway besides McDonalds in
Tonbridge High Street. If you want to meet some of the NO2ID crowd do
drop by and say hello - you certainly don't have to take part in the
stall if it's not your thing. If you want to help - please do drop us a
line at tunbridge.wells@no2id.net.

*+ 27th September - Street Stall Tunbridge Wells +*
Saturday, 27th September 11.00 - 13:00 at pedestrian precinct, opposite
Victoria Centre shopping centre. If you want to help please do drop us a
line at tunbridge.wells@no2id.net.

*+ 4th October - First-ever Sevenoaks Stall !! +*
Saturday, 4th October 11.00 - 13:00, location to be decided. If you want
to help please do drop us a line at tunbridge.wells@no2id.net.

*+ 16th October - "The Database State" debate +*
Thursday, 16th October 7.30pm at The Skinners' School, St John's Road,
Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9PG. Greg Clark MP will chair two teams of
students quizzing Daniel Zeichner (Labour Party Spokesman) and Phil
Booth (National Coordinator of NO2ID). We are still in active
discussions with Meg Hillier's office regarding this event, and hope
very much that Ms Hillier will be game for an open, public debate on the
topic. Watch this space._**_
---------------------------------------------------------------------- --


What just happened?


+ ContactPoint children's database delayed +

The government's ContactPoint database, holding the details of every
child in England and Wales, will be delayed by three months due to
"technical difficulties". ContactPoint was due to be launched in
October, having already been put back from April after data security
fears in the aftermath of the HMRC child benefits data loss in November
of last year. It seems the delays are centred around the issue of
"shielding", whereby users of the system will be able to partially
shield records of vulnerable children. Professor Ross Anderson, an
expert in security at the University of Cambridge, said: "The public
sector wastes huge amounts of money on software that ultimately doesn't
work. The most likely explanation is that they can't get ContactPoint to
work."


+ Statewatch releases new report on EU security policy +

Today Statewatch has released a new 60-page report entitled 'The Shape
of Things to Come' that looks at the EU's new five year strategy for
justice and home affairs. The report details how European governments
and EU policy-makers are pursuing unfettered powers to access and gather
masses of personal data on the everyday life of everyone -- on the
grounds that we can all be safe and secure from perceived 'threats'.
Statewatch's press release says: "The report shows how the EU Future
Group is seeking to harness the power of what it calls the 'digital
tsunami' -- a rather insensitive concept -- for the benefit of law
enforcement and security agencies."
Download the report at
http://www.statewatch.org/analyses/the-shape-of-things-to-come.pdf


+ ID Scheme firm advertises for managers +

Thales, who recently won the first contract in the National ID scheme,
has begun advertising for Contracts Managers (with salaries of £65k plus
benefits of taxpayers' money). Last month Thales was awarded a contract
worth 18 million pounds to design, build, test and operate the
technology that will deliver the National Identity Register (NIR). Now
Thales wants Contracts Managers to do some "commercial interfacing with
customers, suppliers and internal organisations". In their recruitment
advert Thales claims that the National Identity Scheme "is an
easy-to-use and extremely secure system of personal identification for
adults living in the UK. Its cornerstone is the introduction of national
ID cards for all UK residents over the age of 16". Seems a strange
description for a system that hasn't even been designed or built yet,
and that will facilitate lifelong surveillance of UK citizens!


+ More fingerprint technology woes +

A supporter reports that: "A frequent traveller who visits the US
regularly and is enrolled on their fingerprint database for foreign
nationals was refused entry on arrival from New Zealand. When she
eventually proved who she was and was admitted, the immigration officer
stated 'This quite often happens with long-haul passengers, the aircraft
pressurisation alters the fingertip geometry beyond the tolerance of the
biometric measurements'."


+ Germany's ID supermarkets +

German firms are illegally trading millions of sets of personal data
drawn from the official registration system. State government officials
have admitted as much, following revelations in the press. In Germany,
everyone is legally required to provide an address and other details for
the official population registers linked to the ID system - and to keep
that entry up to date. Traditionally, these details have been held in
town halls, but some federal states are moving towards centralised
databases and there are proposals for a national register. The data
firms usually act as intermediaries for commercial clients who want to
check an address. In most cases, it is quite legal for the population
registers to give out this information on individual, identified
citizens. But some intermediaries have been overstepping the mark in a
wholly predictable way. They have been adding the information to mass
databases of their own, which they then sell on to other clients and
traders.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- --


"ID" in the news

*+ French storm the Bastille over 'Sarkozy's Big Sister' database -
11/9/08 +*
Imagine, if you will, an announcement by the UK Government that it is
going to create a new database to track anyone over the age of 13, who
has been "active in politics or the trade unions or who has a
significant role in business, the media, entertainment or social or
religious institutions". Let's say 20 million individuals who the
authorities believe are "likely to breach public order".
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/11/france_database_tumulte/

*+ Saatchi to promote foreigners' ID cards - Kable 10/9/08 +*
The Home Office will use advertising agency M&C Saatchi to tell
employers about the introduction of identity cards for foreign nationals.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/10/saatchi_id/

***+ ID scheme plans 50,000 cards by April - Kable 8/9/08 +*
In response to a parliamentary written question from Liberal Democrat
shadow home secretary Chris Huhne, home secretary Jacqui Smith said that
about 50,000 identity cards will be issued between the scheme's launch
for foreign nationals between November and April 2009.
http://www.kablenet.com/kd.nsf/Frontpage/57B0CF1437842ADD802574BB00568 502?OpenDocument

*+ DNA database costs soar - Kable 5/9/08 +*
Home Office figures show that the cost of running the national DNA
database has more than doubled since 2002-03. Minister Meg Hillier MP
said that in 2002-03 the cost of DNA database services was £774,300, but
that service and IT development delivery costs for 2008-09 are projected
as £1.77m. In 2006-07, that figure reached £2.04m, although it dropped
to £1.6m last year.
http://www.kablenet.com/kd.nsf/Frontpage/EE163A4B1B7862DD802574BB003CB C4E?OpenDocument

*+ Why the delay in launching database? - The Guardian 2/9/08 +*
The sudden postponement of the government's flagship ContactPoint
database last week was immediately shrugged off by ministers and civil
servants as being due to technical problems. Embarrassing, perhaps, for
a project costing the taxpayer £224m, but simply a matter of taking a
bit more time to iron out glitches such as drop-down menus.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/sep/02/schools.children1

*+ Innocent MP fingerprinted after his uncle's murder discovers his
details are still on DNA database one year on - Mail on Sunday 3/8/08 +*
A Tory MP fingerprinted after the murder of his 80-year-old uncle
claimed last night that he is an innocent victim of Labour's 'Big
Brother' surveillance state.
http://...com/6zbmrd

(Please send me any items of interest you encounter -
Editor(newsletter@no2id.net) )