Those of our readers that understand Northern Ireland politics will expect that when we approached our political parties they were falling over themselves to get their message out. You might expect that those we pay to exhail hot air all day long would relish selling us their view. You would be wrong.

We asked the DUP what their views were on ID Cards several times, even requesting to know how they voted in parliament on the ID bills - to this day we have had no comment

We asked the UUP what their views were on ID Cards several times and again failed to obtain replies to emails or responses to phone calls.

We asked the Jim Allister what his views were on ID Cards several times and although a view was expressed, further emails went unanswered upon declaring that cherryvalleyvillage.co.uk were to write an article on the issue. We have requested a more considered view from Jim Allister and still await his reply.

We asked the Alliance Party what their views were on ID Cards and obtained a full reply from both Naomi Long and her colleague Anna Lo. Neither shied away from declaring their opposition to the scheme. Anna Lo indicated that it would be at odds with democracy and that the Alliance Party was opposed to such a scheme. Ms. Lo also indicated that government already held too much personal data which they failed to safe-guard. Ms. Long indicates that such a scheme would affect privacy, freedom of movement and due process under law with little security gain if any and as such opposes proposals for a compulsory identity card and the associated database.

Conclusion

The National Identity Card is widely opposed in the UK and one would have thought it would be widely opposed by our Members of Parliament and MLA'a, apparently not.

Life is full of surprises, for the 'wind bags' politicians of East Belfast, did what we have long allowed them to do, ignore issues, ignore us and get away with it. Northern Ireland politics and voting patterns are changing, and you can't vote for a party who holds covert policies or who is shy about reveling policy. The Alliance Party are to this day, the only party to nail their colours to the mast with us, to the shame of their Unionist Colleagues. 

Reviewed 8th September 2008