The poll also indicates that more than a million people would go to prison rather than register for a card.

In May 2004 Privacy International commissioned YouGov to conduct a poll of UK electors to determine views and opinion trends relating to the proposed National Identity Card. YouGov questioned a representative sample of 2,003 electors throughout the United Kingdom between May 11 & May 13.

The Poll was commissioned partly in response to a MORI survey published a month earlier by IT supplier Detica (see our two stories about this on PublicTechnology.net at this first link [1] and this second link [2]). The company & the government inferred from the poll that 80 per cent of people support the government's ID card proposals, and that civil liberties arguments have failed.

This poll tested opinion on key elements in the Government's Draft Identity Cards Bill, and also asked those opposing ID cards to indicate what measures they would take to fight the introduction of such a scheme.

Key findings of the survey are:

The majority say they support ID cards, but not to the extent that the government claims

> 61% of the population support compulsory identity cards. This contrasts markedly with repeated claims by government that 80% are in favour of its proposal.

However, the majority of respondents oppose key elements of the Draft Identity Cards Bill.

> Many people object to the legal requirement to notify government of change of address (47% against; 41% in favour)

> Most people object to the legal requirement to inform government whenever a card is lost, stolen or damaged (45% against; 44% in favour)

Opponents may be in the minority, but they are signalling a new revolt

> 28% of those opposing compulsory cards said they would take to the streets to participate in demonstrations. This represents approximately 4.9 million people.

> 16% of those opposing compulsory cards said they would participate in a "campaign of civil disobedience". This represents 2.8 million people.

> 6% of those opposing compulsory cards said they would prefer to go to prison rather than register for a card. This represents over a million people.

Tory voters are much more likely to oppose the ID card proposals.

> Nearly a quarter (24%) of Tory voters who object to compulsory ID cards said they are prepared to take part in a 'campaign of civil disobedience'

Related Publictechnology.net articles on ID Cards

Click here for index to our articles on ID cards [3]

Related links to this article:

Click here for the full pdf format survey findings from Privacy International [4]

Anti-ID cards

Privacy International [5]

Liberty [6]

Stand [7]

The 1900 Trust [8]

Foundation for Information Policy Research [9]

Statewatch [10]

No2id [11]

Pro ID Cards:

The Home office draft legislation and consultation on ID Cards can be found here at this link [12]

Parliamentary Home Affairs Committee: Uncorrected transcript of Oral Evidence given by The Rt Hon David Blunkett MP, Home Secretary; Mr Desmond Browne MP, Minister of State for Citizenship and Immigration, Home Office; Katherine Courtney, Director, Identity Cards Programme, Home Office; Stephen Harrison, Head, Identity Card Policy Unit, Home Office: uploaded on 6 May 2004 [13]

Parliamentary Home Affairs Committee: Uncorrected transcript of Oral Evidence given by Mr Len Cook, Registrar General for England and Wales; Mr Denis Roberts, Director for Registration Services, General Register Office; Rt Hon Charles Clarke, a Member of the House, Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills, Rt Hon John Hutton, a Member of the House, Minister of State (Health), and Mr Chris Pond, a Member of the House, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions: uploaded on 29 April 2004 [14]

Parliamentary Home Affairs Committee: Uncorrected transcript of Oral Evidence given by Mr John Harrison, Edentity, Mr Andy Jebson, Director, Cubic Transportation Systems, Mr Richard Haddock, Chief Executive Officer, LaserCard Systems Corporation, and Mr Neill Fisher, Director of Security Solutions, QinetiQ: uploaded on 28 April 2004 [15]