NO2ID Pledge Passes over 10,000 Supporters

1.21.39pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 22nd Jul 2005

Shepway Liberal Democrats are delighted that the NO2ID pledge to refuse to sign up to an identity card and identity database. Shepway Lib Dem members Tim Prater, Darren Briddock and Sam Matthews are amongst the thousands to have signed up to the pledge.

The NO2ID pledge reads: "I refuse to register for an ID card and will donate £10 to a legal defence fund" and can still be signed at http://www.pledgebank.com/refuse

The pledge does not end just because it has reached 10,000 signatures. Organisers believe there are many tens of thousands more who will refuse to register, and want them to sign up before the closing date of October 9th, the day before Parliament sits again in the Autumn.

The NO2ID campaign is cross party and backed by members of all parties and none. The bill was apposed by the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and a number of Labour rebels at its most recent reading in Parliament. The Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, Diane Abbott, voted against the Bill at its second reading, and spoke strongly against it in the chamber. Eight trade unions including Unison (who voted to affiliate to NO2ID), T&GWU, and GMB voted to reject ID cards before the second reading, calling on Labour MPs to vote against the Bill.