NO2ID: Poll shows 50:50 split on ID cards

Wednesday, 23, Nov 2005 12:00

Campaign group NO2ID today released the results of an ICM poll of 1,013 adults commissioned last week, which shows a continued drop in support for ID cards to 50% and a rise in public opposition to the Home Office scheme to 48%.

So as to provide a direct comparison, exactly the same question was used as in NO2ID’s previous poll, using government figures for the cost of the card and passport combined. Since then, the Government made much of announcing a £30 ‘stand alone’ card in time for the Third Reading debate in the Commons but, as Home Office ministers have admitted that this price is merely “indicative” and detailed costings by the LSE and others still appear to place the unit cost of registration and issuing an ID card at or above £300 it was decided to stick with the single confirmed figure.

Phil Booth, NO2ID National Coordinator, said:

“The Home Office have had a further five months to make their case, and have quite obviously failed. For public support to slip still further after the terrorist atrocities in London this summer reveals just how little the public actually trust the reasons they are being given for ID cards. In fact, the more people hear, the less they like the idea.

“We have reached the tipping point. The Government can no longer claim clear majority support for their scheme, and things are only going to get worse for them from here on out. Introducing compulsory registration and State ID control when half the country is against you has more than a hint of the jackboot about it.”