BREAKING: House of Lords remove "compulsory" clause from ID Cards bill

[Greeby]

On Sky News just now.

A blow to Big Brother wannabes everywhere :woohoo:

The House of Lords: the most unlikely defenders of our freedoms :patriot:

[savemefromdumbya]

1. The House of Lords is usually a Godsend

[AX10]

2. Congratulations!

Who'd ever think that the Lords would be the ones defending freedom? :shrug:

Good to hear!

:kick:

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

3. Good for them and a huge hooray! nt

[baby_mouse]

4. The Lords, being unelected, are immune from voting pressures...

... the forces of image politics have no hold on them.

BRAVO THE LORDS!!!!!

[rocktivity]

5. CUE THE VONAGE THEME!

And well done!

:woohoo:
rocknation

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Cool - BBC story here

Ministers want applicants for passports and driving licences to be obliged to go on the ID card register.

But peers decided by 186 votes to 142 - a majority of 44 - to ensure that entry on the list is voluntary.

The government lost again when peers called for a separate Act of Parliament before cards could be made compulsory.

The votes were among a series of Lib Dem and Tory amendments aimed at making sure people have a choice.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4640900.stm

Choice, says Tony? We don't want to give people 'choice'! Never mind Tony, I'm sure that, as your personal pollster claimed, people will be clamouring to get on to the register, since:

Lord Gould of Brookwood: Both the previous speakers—the latter with great emotion—were arguing for freedom. We have to ask what greater freedom is there than the freedom to place a vote for a political party in a ballot box upon the basis of a mandate and a manifesto. That is the crux of it: the people have supported this measure. That is what the noble Earl's father fought for. But that is too trivial an answer. I know that. The fundamental argument is that the truth is that people believe that these identity cards will affirm their identity. The noble Lord opposite said that he likes to be in this House and how he is recognised in this House because it is a community that recognises him. That is how the people of this nation feel. They feel that they are part of communities, and they want recognition. For them, recognition comes in the form of this identity card. Noble Lords may think that that is strange, but it is what they feel. This is their kind of freedom. They want their good, hard work and determination to be recognised, rewarded and respected. That is what this does.

Of course it is right and honourable for noble Lords to have their views, but I say there is another view, and it is the view of the majority of this country. They want to have the respect, recognition and freedom that this card will give them. Times have changed. Politics have changed. What would not work 50 years ago, works now. It is not just me. I have the words of the leader of your party:

"I have listened to the police and security service chiefs. They have told me that ID cards can and will help their efforts to protect the lives of British citizens against terrorist acts. How can I disregard that?".

This is not some silly idea of the phoney left. It is a mainstream idea of modern times. It is a new kind of identity and a new kind of freedom. I respect the noble Lords' views, but it would help if they respected the fact that the Bill and the identity cards represent the future: a new kind of freedom and a new kind of identity.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199900/ldhansrd/pdvn/lds05/text/51115-19.htm

It's certainly a new kind of freedom - it's an Orwellian freedom.