[Tubby Isaacs]

The green stuff is getting pushed too. By the logic of Bluesky, they shouldn't be doing that because "you can't out Zack Zack", but nobody ever says that. I wonder, is there serious social science research behind the idea that Labour are only helping Farage with the migration stuff? Do we know that the "Red Wall" Labour types who say they want less immigration are insatiable maniacs? I wonder if there's an element of social class here. We who like the green stuff have a reasonable level we can be contented with, those others will never be satisfied on migration. Irregular verb.

Talking of amateur social science a lot of people have suddenly noticed that the Social Democrats in Denmark aren't polling very well, and that's proof of idiot Starmer. A moment's research shows they've been in power since 2011. I would assume they copped a fair bit of backlash from inflation, like Biden, Sunak, Macron, and everyone else. So it's not clear to me from the outline facts (which is after all what loads of commentators just have) that there's electoral oblivion for the centre-left in what Starmer's doing. There's still a route to a decent Labour performance and coalition with other parties who do run on a more liberal programme. That would be a good result.

The assets thing seems to refer to people arriving with lots of property, rather than pulling off the necklace inherited from granny. I suppose some of the people who don't arrive by boat (there are some) may have some assets with them. Seems a bit mean spirited, but I can see where they're coming from.

[The Weeping Angel]

I've been avoiding Bluesky for the last couple of days. At the moment I don't think I could stand the place there's good people on there but some really aggravating people on there.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Labour deserve a bit of stick in fairness, because it is grim.

[Tubby Isaacs]

This though is something I support. Juries are overrated, mostly. For those worried Warren wasn't onboard with a Labour policy, I am pleased to put your mind at rest. .

[The Weeping Angel]

No doubt this will be used as evidence that Starmer is planning to strip us of our rights. Like Digital ID cards, other countries have had this, and they've managed to handle it without falling apart.

[The Weeping Angel]

By the way, who said this?

If you don’t have any borders, you don’t have a nation. Trump did a better job. I don’t like Trump, but we should have a secure border. It ain’t that hard to do. Biden didn't do it.

Joe Manchin? Some self-styled "liberal mugged by reality" at the New York Times?

No, Bernie Sanders. So this isn't some sort of uniquely British response by fake left politicians. There are people on the Left everywhere who have felt political heat on migration, and are thinking in the same terms as Starmer. But of course the US Democrats don't have to bother too much about people voting for the Greens and Lib Dems.

In 2016, Sanders was to the right of Clinton on immigration. Although he has moved leftwards since one thing I've seen arethat US Liberals are citing Labour as an example of what happens when you move rightwards on immigration. Of course they conviently ignore the fact that Biden shifted rightwards on immigration.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

No doubt this will be used as evidence that Starmer is planning to strip us of our rights. Like Digital ID cards, other countries have had this, and they've managed to handle it without falling apart.

But we’re exceptional. Flagshagger Billy Bollockbrains said so…

[Youngian]

This business of self-employed/contract/gig economy workers compulsorily needing a Digital ID - they can fuck right off. Or will I be getting a visit from a Labour version of ICE if I tell them to as my surname's foreign? Whilst this policy will no doubt please the people who'd never vote Labour anyway, I can't help but feel a lot of Labour membership cards are getting torn up as we speak.

And was it just an unfortunate sartorial mishap that Mahmood delivered her speech dressed in Reform Turquoise?

What practical difference does it make to domestic workers submitting a digital ID with your filings as you do already with a NI number?
This is the latest tin foil hat crusade along with 15 minute cities and Bill Gates nanobots in Covid vaccines.

I'll have an educated guess white van man who never stops banging on about illegal immigrants working cash in hand, will be opposing these measures from the government aimed at preventing cash in hand working by illegals.

[Youngian]

They use digital IDs in lots of countries and surprisingly they've managed to cope quite well.

https://news.sky.com/story/the-countrie ... s-13441075

As Britain gears up to make digital ID mandatory for all UK citizens, across the globe similar schemes already exist.

Sir Keir Starmer announced in September that all UK citizens are to have mandatory ID to prove their right to live and work in the country, which will be kept in a 'wallet' similar to that of Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.

While the success of the scheme remains to be seen, the government has said it is going to use the best aspects of digital IDs already being used in a number of countries including Estonia, Denmark and India in its design.

Click, zoom and scroll on the map below to see the countries that already use digital ID, or are planning to implement similar technology:

Unfortunately, here in Britain we're convinced that doing so would herald in a dictatorship and don't want the state to have a role in our lives.

Remind the headbangers that Estonians were part of a real totalitarian state not an imaginary one made up by people who follow Alex Jones and Russell Brand.

[Boiler]

What practical difference does it make to domestic workers submitting a digital ID with your filings as you do already with a NI number?
This is the latest tin foil hat crusade along with 15 minute cities and Bill Gates nanobots in Covid vaccines.

I'll have an educated guess white van man who never stops banging on about illegal immigrants working cash in hand, will be opposing these measures from the government aimed at preventing cash in hand working by illegals.

Well, maybe I'm overreacting. It just feels intrusive to me.

As it stands, I now have to take my driving licence to my accountant when we sign off my accounts next week as a further step of proof of who I am to satisfy HMRC.

This reminds me too much of the fucking palaver I had with the bank a few years ago where I had to explain to the bastards in words of one syllable that not only was I running a legitimate business, but so were my fucking accountants.

Still, this time next year the business will be just a memory.

[Tubby Isaacs]

No doubt this will be used as evidence that Starmer is planning to strip us of our rights. Like Digital ID cards, other countries have had this, and they've managed to handle it without falling apart.

Depends what you think of juries and judges. If your opinion of judges is that they’re all “establishment” lackeys, you’ll prefer juries. There’s something in that but they seem to rule against government fairly often. But you might prefer a jury on highly “political” cases.

Juries are more likely to swallow nonsense defences and actually understand eg complex fraud evidence.

[Youngian]

Well, maybe I'm overreacting. It just feels intrusive to me.
As it stands, I now have to take my driving licence to my accountant when we sign off my accounts next week as a further step of proof of who I am to satisfy HMRC.

This reminds me too much of the fucking palaver I had with the bank a few years ago where I had to explain to the bastards in words of one syllable that not only was I running a legitimate business, but so were my fucking accountants.

I share your annoyance, I've never been abroad on my passport but upgraded it to prove my existence.
That's why I like the sound of digital ID. I now have a government ID app on my phone so I'm nearly there.

[Killer Whale]

Depends what you think of juries and judges. If your opinion of judges is that they’re all “establishment” lackeys, you’ll prefer juries. There’s something in that but they seem to rule against government fairly often. But you might prefer a jury on highly “political” cases.

Juries are more likely to swallow nonsense defences and actually understand eg complex fraud evidence.

I don't know how much time is consumed explaining the actual laws that apply to any particular case to juries, but I can only assume that it is substantial, particularly in complex cases. I'd expect a judge to be able to bypass this by doing the homework they'd be committed to anyway.

[Boiler]

Well, maybe I'm overreacting. It just feels intrusive to me.
As it stands, I now have to take my driving licence to my accountant when we sign off my accounts next week as a further step of proof of who I am to satisfy HMRC.

This reminds me too much of the fucking palaver I had with the bank a few years ago where I had to explain to the bastards in words of one syllable that not only was I running a legitimate business, but so were my fucking accountants.

I share your annoyance, I've never been abroad on my passport but upgraded it to prove my existence.
That's why I like the sound of digital ID. I now have a government ID app on my phone so I'm nearly there.

Is the government ID app you're using this GOV.UK "One Login" thing? Thing is... I would dearly like to be rid of my smart phone, especially when I finally retire. This does sound like cutting my nose off to spite my face, but I really hate my every move being tracked by the bastard. I'd quite happily go back to my little Nokia 3210!

It's a reason I plan not to have any modern cars beyond what I already have - those track your every move too. Which really buggers my plan to go at least PHEV but preferably, full BEV when I retire.

[Dalem Lake]

I haven't got a problem with Digital ID. I had to set up a digital ID of sorts years ago to apply for Universal Credit and to get the HMRC App and personally prefer doing any sort of business online anyway as it's much more easier and convenient. I think the problem the government has is, once again, their absolutely piss-poor communications. They made absolutely no attempt to make the case for it and it seems like a policy cooked up on the hoof to try and combat Reform. Starmer stuck his head out and basically said "We're going to introduce digital ID, you gonna need it for work, blah, blah, illegal immigration, and it's coming in before the end of the parliament. Bye!", and then sent Lisa Nandy out to do the rounds try and sell a policy she clearly had no clue about. They really need to learn to lay the groundwork when they announce plans that may kick up a stink. They almost had it with the income tax rise speculation but managed to kinda fuck it up with the u-turn.

[Boiler]

It has to be said: this government is truly fucking useless at comms.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I haven't got a problem with Digital ID. I had to set up a digital ID of sorts years ago to apply for Universal Credit and to get the HMRC App and personally prefer doing any sort of business online anyway as it's much more easier and convenient. I think the problem the government has is, once again, their absolutely piss-poor communications. They made absolutely no attempt to make the case for it and it seems like a policy cooked up on the hoof to try and combat Reform. Starmer stuck his head out and basically said "We're going to introduce digital ID, you gonna need it for work, blah, blah, illegal immigration, and it's coming in before the end of the parliament. Bye!", and then sent Lisa Nandy out to do the rounds try and sell a policy she clearly had no clue about. They really need to learn to lay the groundwork when they announce plans that may kick up a stink. They almost had it with the income tax rise speculation but managed to kinda fuck it up with the u-turn.

Was that not just Nandy doing the 'broadcast round"?

Lix Kendall is the minister in charge and she's been in the media. The difficulty is that Digital ID has lots of articulate opponents, with lots of media support, so it's very hard for the minister to get a hearing. There's the civil libertarians (who certainly get media support when it's a Labour Government), the technologists (who can easily make the minister look stupid for not knowing something technical, as if the minister is going to be running the tech), and the "this will cost the figure I've just made up, that should be spent on all the nice stuff" opponents.

It'll be unpopular till/ if it comes in and works.

[Dalem Lake]

I haven't got a problem with Digital ID. I had to set up a digital ID of sorts years ago to apply for Universal Credit and to get the HMRC App and personally prefer doing any sort of business online anyway as it's much more easier and convenient. I think the problem the government has is, once again, their absolutely piss-poor communications. They made absolutely no attempt to make the case for it and it seems like a policy cooked up on the hoof to try and combat Reform. Starmer stuck his head out and basically said "We're going to introduce digital ID, you gonna need it for work, blah, blah, illegal immigration, and it's coming in before the end of the parliament. Bye!", and then sent Lisa Nandy out to do the rounds try and sell a policy she clearly had no clue about. They really need to learn to lay the groundwork when they announce plans that may kick up a stink. They almost had it with the income tax rise speculation but managed to kinda fuck it up with the u-turn.

Was that not just Nandy doing the 'broadcast round"?

Lix Kendall is the minister in charge and she's been in the media. The difficulty is that Digital ID has lots of articulate opponents, with lots of media support, so it's very hard for the minister to get a hearing. There's the civil libertarians (who certainly get media support when it's a Labour Government), the technologists (who can easily make the minister look stupid for not knowing something technical, as if the minister is going to be running the tech), and the "this will cost the figure I've just made up, that should be spent on all the nice stuff" opponents.

It'll be unpopular till/ if it comes in and works.

Has she? I've neither seen hide nor hair of her since she got shifted from the DWP. And according to the DSIT website, the cabinet office is in overall charge of the policy, Kendall's just responsible for the technical implementation.

Today the government announced that in order to deliver this cross-government priority, the Cabinet Office will have overall responsibility of the new digital identity scheme, including policy development, legislation and strategic oversight.

The Cabinet Office will work alongside the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), who will be responsible for the technical design, build and delivery; and other departments. This will be effective immediately.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mach ... digital-id

[Tubby Isaacs]

I saw Kendall get stick for some interviews. The Cabinet Office oversees stuff across government, with the aim of more joined up government. "Working with" them is standard, and the Technology department are in charge.