SJ_Skyline

BBC NEWS | Politics | Discs with 15m bank details lost

Good old Labour, trust them to screw up data confidentiality so well

OllyK

Indeed, and when you look at the list of data that will be held on the database it's terrifying, every address you have lived at, parents names and maiden names etc. Indeed, if you hold enough info to verify an identity there's more than enough there to clone that identity!

Chris L

More worryingly, the ID card scheme could also contain details such as DNA records, retina scans and finger prints - all items that are irreplaceable. What do you do when these are compromised?

Brendan Hughes

Never seen Minority Report? (or should that be )

OllyK

You buy somebody elses identity off the black market.

[Davey]

Did anyone see watch dog last night?? The confidential data **** ups made by the Inland Revenue were seriously shocking!! Some woman had been paying income tax for her and someone else, and when they finally realised there was a **** up they told her she couldnt have all the money back because she was claiming for tax that was more than 6 years old, even though it was not her fault!!

stilover

No kids, no problem.

stringostar

i've left too many posts on the forum to aire my views on the government, so i'm resorting to icons instead...

BTW if labour were managing a football club, they would have been sacked by now wouldnt they??? so how can we sack 'em from power?

stilover

Ever heard of an Election?

People keep voting Labour, then complain about them.

stringostar

i didnt vote labour

Devildog

Ahhh...Watchdog. "The Sun" of television investigative journalism.

OllyK

As has been pointed out before, the majority of the British public did not vote labour.

gpssti4

iTrader: (6)

So a call for Proportional Representation then?

davegtt

I think the problem is the majority of the British public didnt vote anybody, then complain about who is in charge.

But saying that, regardless of who is in charge, we'd all be moaning at them about something.

No win situation

SJ_Skyline

It's the British way - to moan, that is. Just like it's the French way to down tools and burn livestock in the middle of the road.

My belief is we simply don't have the weather for any prolonged period of civil unrest. As soon as it gets cold and wet, people lose heart and wander off for a cup of tea and biscuit.

OllyK

That's certainly one possibility.

OllyK

Also true, and in the main that's probably down to apathy, but for others it will be that they see little difference between the oposition parties or don't relate to what's being offered. I always got to vote, be it local or general, but I have been known to write "none of the above" on the paper.

For a bit more info on why this is preferable to not voting at all: Vote for None of the Above - Ethos
BBC NEWS | VOTE2001 | TALKING POINT | None of the above?

STiFreak

iTrader: (4)

The only way that the current problems with the democratic system will be resolved is by completey overhauling it and giving the decision making powers back to the people.

Let me explain:
Every citizen who is eligable to vote is issued a smart card with their basic details (as already present on the election register) encrypted onto the chip.
Every change to the law the government would like to make is posted online for one month. With the use of their smart card, from any PC, each person is able to vote once on each proposal.
The government can't pass a new law or change in the law without the agreement of more than 50% of the vote. (i.e. if 10 million choose to vote, then the government needs more than 5 million to agree to pass that into law).
Anyone can suggest a new law or a change in the law with an online petition and the agreement of 500 000 fellow citizens via the same online system. That change will then be put forward to the vote and if more than 50% agree then it is passed into law.

The advantages of this type of system are that people will start to feel like they are actually able to have a say in what is going on in their country (instead of choosing one government every 4 years that do whatever the hell they like in between).
Peoples interest in politics and the number of people actually voting will increase drastically.
It would build a much stronger sense of community.

I know there will be some of you that will say that this type of system would be open to abuse ... but I think you will find there is enough common sense amoungst the entire UK population that this will act as a self regulating buffer against rediculous ideas (like someone proposing a 50% cut in tax), as most people would realise this is not in their long term interest.

Before you flame me, think of how this would have effected decisions the government have made "on our behalf" in the past. Iraq, Trident, the EU, to name a few?

Interested in peeps opinions on this.

Brendan Hughes

I think I've seen a flaw in your plan...

STiFreak

iTrader: (4)

They still have to have more sense than a few hundred polititians and a hell of a lot less in the "alternative motive" department.

Brendan Hughes

Well, considering they voted the politicians in, I think that's debatable.

Reminds me of a US proposal to let the public vote on national health funding. They got the answer (IIRC) that hip replacements should be de-prioritised whereas boob and nose jobs should be fully funded by the taxpayer.

If the top 3% of students go to university (or whatever it is these days) that leaves an awful lot who don't.

SJ_Skyline

StiFreak - watch an episode of the Jeremy Kyle show and then please explain what's wrong with your suggestion

rik1471

"Two computer discs holding the personal details of all families in the UK with a child under 16 have gone missing."

BBC NEWS | Politics | Darling admits 25m records lost

I'm speechless.

B-B

I'm speechless.[/QUOTE]

Me too! Especially as MY details will be on there!!

David Lock

Just wait until next week when they admit they forgot to keep a back-up copy

David Lock

I hear Gary Glitter has just bought a new powerful computer.........

Petem95

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse under Labour!

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Oh, I'd NEVER think that.............

Alcazar

TopBanana

Absolutely disgraceful.

rik1471

The fact that these discs were sent via unregistered post is uncomprehendable.