Brighton & Hove Council to vote on NO2ID motion - we need your support!

We've been trying to get a motion before the council for ages, and it's finally happening!

Brighton & Hove Council have accepted a motion for discussion calling on them to oppose the Government's National Identity Register scheme. The motion, submitted by Green Party leader Jason Kitcat with the cooperation of Brighton & Hove NO2ID, asks the council to condemn the scheme, to refuse to use it unless required by law, and to write to the Home Secretary expressing their concerns. The motion will be read at the next council meeting on Thursday 24th. April, and will be voted on by a committee of councillors late in May.

Local councils are especially well-placed to oppose the ID register proposals. Although the scheme has been enacted at a national level, the majority of the task of implementing it, and all associated costs, will be born by local authorities - and they will also have to accommodate the knock-on costs for local services. Local councils, through non-cooperation with the Government's plan, are in a sturdy position to demonstrate popular objection to the ID register and to hamper it's introduction around the country.

The space of time before the vote gives us a great opportunity to show our councillors we support the motion. If you oppose ID cards and the national identity database, whether because of their threat to civil liberties, the lack of evidence that the Government can guarantee they will be secure, or the still-spiralling costs; if you agree with NO2ID's opposition to this project, please contact your representatives to let them know you support the call for our council to oppose the scheme. The more people who contact their councillors, the more of a swell of public support we can show.

As part of our local campaign, we've started a new petition that specifically addresses the council, to be presented in support of the motion. Please sign this new petition, and as your friends to do the same!

You can sign online here: http://brighton.no2id.net/

Mass opposition is the only way we will stop this scheme. Motions are being passed by councils across the country, and we'd like to join them. Let's send a message to the Government that ID cards are not something we want or need!

Many thanks for your continued support. If you'd like to know more or get more involved, please contact brighton@no2id.net or (01273) 325 381, or visit http://www.no2id.net/.