Anti-ID card group gathers support

4:04pm Wednesday 14th November 2007

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CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans for ID cards will use street stalls in Worcester to drum up support.

The Worcestershire branch of NO2ID condemned the Government scheme at their first meeting at the Portobello, Bransford Road, St John's, Worcester.

About 20 people attended the meeting, where the group vowed to mount a campaign against ID cards by setting up Saturday stalls in Worcester to disseminate their views and lobby Home Secretary Jacqui Smith in her Redditch constituency.

Branch spokesman Luke Albarin said the group had already received messages of support from leading Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, including Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate Richard Burt, who attended the meeting, but had not heard from Worcester's Labour MP, Mike Foster.

Mr Albarin said: "It's vital that everyone understands just what this ID scheme really is. It's not so much the card itself, it's the vast electronic database the Government will have at its disposal - assuming it can get it to work."

Mr Burt said: "It won't prevent terrorism. It won't stop illegal immigration and it won't stop benefit fraud."

Mr Foster, who has told your Worcester News he is in favour of ID cards in the battle against illegal immigration and fraud, said: "I had an e-mail from this group. Given that they're opposed to ID cards and I support them I think it's unlikely we will reach any sort of compromise. I don't think they should surprised be that I haven't contacted them."