National identity cards: The impact on the relationship between the police and ethnic minority groups

Abstract

Prior to the election of the Labour Government in May 1997, plans were underway to introduce a national identity card scheme in the UK. The then Home Secretary, Michael Howard and representatives from the police and other groups had argued that amongst a wide range of benefits such a scheme would bring included improving police efficiency and helping to tackle a number of social problems. Others, however, raised concerns about the impact such a scheme may have on civil liberties and the relationship between the police and ethnic minority groups. This paper explores the potential effect the introduction of a national identity card scheme in the UK may have on the relationship between the police and ethnic minority groups. It draws on the experiences of other EU countries in the use of various types of identity card and suggests that the use of identity checks by police officers and other official agencies impact disproportionately on ethnic minority groups. It provides evidence that identity cards can be u...