Residents are urged to oppose ID scheme

Hull Council leader Carl Minns will be joined by Tory Group leader John Fareham and Green Party candidate for Hull North Martin Deane at next Monday's launch of the Hull and East Riding branch of the NO2ID campaign group.

Nationally the non-partisan group is campaigning against the Government's introduction of identity cards, currently being rolled out in Manchester and London, where they are being marketed as a simple way for students to prove their age. However, once signed up people face large fines if they do not keep their details up to date.

A spokeswoman said: "The Government says that ID Cards will be voluntary. What it doesn't publicise so much is that from 2011/12 if you apply for or renew a driving licence or passport your details will be added to the National Identity Register, whether you want a 'voluntary' ID Card or not.

"The Government has proved time and time again that it can't keep data secure and the National Identity Register will be no different."

Coun Minns said he welcomed the launch, adding: "In the middle of last year Gordon Brown gave the impression the identity cards scheme was dead but if you look round the country the Labour Party is sneakily rolling these out.

"It is going to cost billions and it won't make people safer. I would rather see the money spent on putting bobbies on the beat which is what most of the public want."

The group says the growth in the "database" state has been shown by several local examples – including children at one Hull secondary being fingerprinted to get their lunches. For more information see www.no2id.net