Written by: Beck

The United Kingdom has taken a small step giant leap down the road towards totalitarianism today. They've passed legislation calling for the creation of a national ID card system. Before any Americans begin likening this to systems we have here, you have to realize the scope of information to be tied to the national ID system. The cards are to be linked via a massive, nation-wide database, to biometric data (e.g. fingerprints) and any other information the state wishes to collect. There are already cameras on every street in Britain; now, nothing you do will be free from government notice.

The situation is so fearsome that Samizdata's editor Perry de Havilland has announced that he's giving up the fight for liberty within the borders of the UK. He's planning to move to New Hampshire (state motto: Live Free or Die), and to carry on the fight from there. Go read his exceedingly depressing For me, Britain died today post. An excerpt:

Although I knew this day was coming, it is profoundly depressing nevertheless. It is now the law that ID cards will be imposed by force in Britain, with the support of the Leaders of the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. They have won and as far as I am concerned, the guttering flame of the culture of liberty in Britain just blew out.

I do not expect a truly repressive state to be implemented for many years yet (hopefully), but the infrastructure of tyranny is now well and truly in place, all of which came to pass with a soundtrack of a faint bleating sound of an indifferent public in the background. You might as well flip a coin to figure out which party will usher it in but a authoritarian panoptic state is coming. If this is what the majority of British people want, then may they get exactly what they deserve, but I am out of here. For those of you who will be happy to see me go, trust me, the feeling is mutual.

Let that serve as a reminder to everyone: if you do not fight to defend your freedom, you will not be free.