It hasn't taken the government long to start breaking the promises they made over their compulsory identity card scheme. Earlier this year the Home Office said that anyone who didn't want to be forced onto the intrusive National Identity Register (NIR) would allowed to renew their passport early. Based on this assurance, NO2ID started the renewforfreedom campaign.

Today, NO2ID protestors at the Glasgow passport office were refused entrance and told that the facility had been "suspended".

It seems that this government supports civil liberties - until people actually try to exercise them.

If the government is already betraying its promises on ID Cards before they've been introduced, how can we trust them not to abuse the system in the future?

NO2ID Scotland has issued a press release which I've included below.




NO2ID Scotland 15/05/2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

QUEUE TURNED AWAY FROM GLASGOW PASSPORT OFFICE - FACILITY "SUSPENDED"

Glasgow Passport office turned away a queue of people this morning,
refusing to allow passport application forms to be handed in. Despite
assurances in Parliament from Home Office ministers that people would
be able to renew early to avoid registration on the National Identity
Register (NIR), the chief of security announced that the facility to
do so had been "suspended".

NO2ID, the campaign against ID cards and the database state, are
calling on people to renew their passports this month to avoid losing
their privacy to the NIR. After checking with the Passport Advice line
last week that Glasgow Passport office would accept applications at
the door, NO2ID Scotland invited the general public to join privacy
campaigners to "Renew for Freedom" this morning at 10:00.



However, the new Identity and Passport Service apparently wishes to
obstruct people wishing to avoid compulsory registration. The queue of
hopeful applicants, including local politician Patrick Harvie MSP,
were turned away, told by the chief of security that the facility had
been "suspended". Members of the general public who tried to hand in
application forms after NO2ID activists had left were also refused
entry.

- ENDS -

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Photos of the event are available from NO2ID Scotland. These include
photographs of the queue which was turned away and activists in
costumes which depict the dehumanisation that will follow the
introduction of new Home Office procedures.

Quotes from local people on their reasons for renewal:

Jo Swinson MP:

"The Government's ID card scheme will be hugely expensive, will erode
the civil liberties of people in this country, and I for one am not
convinced that it will effectively meet its stated aims. The former
Home Secretary Charles Clarke admitted that ID cards would not have
stopped the 7th July bombers.

"I oppose the creation of a national identity database, and am making
sure I renew my passport in May this year in order to postpone my
inclusion on it for as long as possible."


Bob Downie, a geological consultant from Glasgow:

"I am renewing my passport early to avoid, for a long as possible, the
government spying upon my innocent daily activities. This they have no
right to do. I resent their demand to take my fingerprints and iris
scan as if I were a criminal. Most of all, I abhor the climate of
suspicion that the ID cards will cause to permeate throughout our
society."



For further information, or for immediate or future interview, contact
NO2ID Scotland co-ordinator Geraint Bevan e-mail: scotland@no2id.net