Thursday, May 26, 2005
Hi-Tech Poll Tax
The Western Mail this morning reports that the expected cost of the Government's flagship ID cards has risen by 9% in six months. They are now expected to cost £93 with speculation that the anticipated price of an individual card will break the £100 barrier very soon and that is before they have got the technology to work.
It is a fact that opinion polls indicating support for ID cards are based on a very simplistic set of assumptions. People are not told for example that they will have to pay for them, never mind how much. It is not explained either how these cards will allow access to personal computerised records such as medical and bank files.
The Government have acknowledged that they will have to make concessions to get the measure through Parliament. If they succeed in this and introduce them as envisaged with a price tag like this then they may have a revolt of Poll-Tax proportions on their hands.
It is a fact that opinion polls indicating support for ID cards are based on a very simplistic set of assumptions. People are not told for example that they will have to pay for them, never mind how much. It is not explained either how these cards will allow access to personal computerised records such as medical and bank files.
The Government have acknowledged that they will have to make concessions to get the measure through Parliament. If they succeed in this and introduce them as envisaged with a price tag like this then they may have a revolt of Poll-Tax proportions on their hands.
Labels: ID
