Christopher Huhne

Christopher Huhne (Chrish Huhne) (Liberal Democrat) was the MP for Eastleigh until he resigned his seat in February 2013.

Identity cards

During a hustings in central London 31 October 2007 Huhne said

"I don't think it's right that a government with 35% of the vote has a legitimate mandate to impose something so unpopular and corrosive to traditional freedoms in Britain as ID cards,"

A Freedom bill to give back liberties 31 October 2007

... it should include protection for jury trial and protection against state snooping and intrusive databases such as the ID card scheme

Discgate

"With each new story like this it becomes increasingly apparent that there is a crisis in the way sensitive information is handled by Government departments." "Last year alone 37 million items of personal data went missing and there is no sign that the rules have been tightened up since then." "When such a cavalier attitude to sensitive details appears to have become institutionalised, how can ministers expect the public to trust them with the massive amount of personal information required for the national Identity Card database?"

Links

• wikipedia: Chris Huhne

News

2009-01-25 - The Sunday Times - Loss of British Council staff data disk stings David Miliband

Author: David Leppard

Summary: British Council has lost a disc containing 2,000 employees bank details, names, National Insurance numbers and salaries. The disk was lost in transit with TNT. ... Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman who uncovered the loss, said: "This is another instance in a long line of slapdash data protection by government departments." "If Whitehall cannot look after its own data records . . . it should not be trusted with the personal information of every citizen as it wants with the identity card scheme."

2008-10-15 - The Times - Government plans massive expansion in tracking calls, e-mail and internet visits

Author: Murad Ahmed and Richard Ford

Summary: Ministers are planning a massive increase in their capacity to collect records of people using e-mail, social networking sites and on line game sites, amid fears they are being exploited by terrorists and serious criminals. ... Jacqui Smith's announcement today that ministers are considering new powers will prompt fears that the UK is heading towards a "Big Brother" state with the authorities able to monitor the public's every move online. ... Chris Huhne, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said the plans were "Orwellian". He added: "The Government’s Orwellian plans for a vast database of our private communications are deeply worrying. I hope that this consultation is not just a sham exercise to soft-soap an unsuspecting public."

2008-09-25 - Liberal Democrats - ID cards a 'laminated poll tax'

Author: Chris Huhne MP

Summary: Today’s unveiling of the design for ID cards is another step towards the Government’s creation of a "laminated poll tax", Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne, said today. The Liberal Democrats have consistently opposed ID cards, which are being introduced by the Labour Party and were initially supported by the Conservatives. Nick Clegg has already said that he will break the law and refuse to provide his details to the ID Card database rather than sign up for the scheme. Commenting on the new design revealed today, Chris Huhne said: "It does not matter how fancy the design of ID cards is, they remain a grotesque intrusion on the liberty of the British people." "The Government is using vulnerable members of our society, like foreign nationals who do not have the vote, as guinea pigs for a deeply unpopular and unworkable policy." "When voting adults are forced to carry ID cards, this scheme will prove to be a laminated Poll Tax."

2008-06-09 - Liberal Democrats press release - Unnecessary surveillance has undermined trust in government

Author: Christopher Huhne MP

Summary: Commenting on today’s Home Affairs Select Committee report A Surveillance Society which calls on the Government to minimise the amount of personal data it collects and retains, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Affairs Secretary, Chris Huhne said: "Ministers must end their unhealthy obsession with monitoring the lives of ordinary people." "Unnecessary surveillance and gross incompetence have undermined public trust in government, eroded individual liberty and intruded on personal privacy." "Ministers must adhere to the ground rules identified in this report or risk leading us further down the road to a surveillance state." "The quickest way to restore public confidence would be to scrap the ridiculous ID card scheme, and invest the money saved in front-line policing where it can really make a difference."

2008-02-28 - Liberal Democrats press release - Crisis in way departments handle sensitive information

Author: Christopher Huhne MP

Summary: Commenting on the news that a confidential Home Office disc was found on a laptop computer that was sold on ebay, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: "With each new story like this it becomes increasingly apparent that there is a crisis in the way sensitive information is handled by Government departments." "Last year alone 37 million items of personal data went missing and there is no sign that the rules have been tightened up since then." "When such a cavalier attitude to sensitive details appears to have become institutionalised, how can ministers expect the public to trust them with the massive amount of personal information required for the national Identity Card database?"

2008-01-06 - The Guardian - Poll shows growing opposition to ID cards over data fears

Author: Alan Travis

Summary: 25% now strongly against their use, says ICM survey, Majority concerned about sharing of personal details, 50% against 47% in favour. If the poll's findings were reflected in the wider population, as many as 10 million people may be expected to refuse to comply. The ICM survey also shows that a majority of the British people say they are "uncomfortable" with the idea that personal data provided to the government for one purpose should be shared between all Whitehall-run public services. ... The Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesman, Chris Huhne, said that public opinion was moving sharply away from the government's ID card scheme as more people understood how intrusive it was going to be, and the more they saw that officials were unable to keep confidential and personal data secure. Huhne said "These polling figures are a body-blow to the government's hopes of introducing ID cards and the associated personal database, as they suggest a large pool of people who may refuse to cooperate."

2008-01-06 - Liberal Democrats press release - Prospect of 'refuseniks' looms on ID cards

Author: Christopher Huhne MP

Summary: Commenting on the results of a survey commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust showing that 25% of the public are deeply opposed to the introduction of a national identity card scheme, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said "Public opinion is moving sharply away from the Government’s ID card scheme the more people understand how intrusive it is, and the more they see that officials are unable to keep confidential and personal data secure." "These polling figures are a body blow to the Government’s hopes of introducing ID cards and the associated personal database, as they suggest a large pool of people who may refuse to cooperate."

2007-12-20 - The Guardian - Clegg rewards Huhne with home affairs brief

Author: Hélène Mulholland and Louise Radnofsky

Summary: Nick Clegg, the new Liberal Democrat leader, today passed the home affairs brief to defeated leadership rival Chris Huhne as he unveiled his first 'shadow cabinet'.

2007-10-31 - The Guardian - Huhne launches Lib Dem leadership manifesto

Author: Rosalind Ryan

Summary: The party's home affairs spokesman said yesterday that that he would break the law by refusing to provide details of his identity if the government introduces ID cards. Mr Clegg said he would encourage fellow MPs and Lib Dem councils not to cooperate either. His promise was matched by Mr Huhne, who said he would lead a campaign of mass civil disobedience against identity cards if they were made compulsory.

2005-10-26 - The Guardian - No mandate for this attack

Author: Christopher Huhne MP

Summary: The unelected Lords can and must protect us from the government's assault on essential civil liberties ... like last week's on ID cards, are likely to show there is only one institution with the power to stop the government's assault on civil liberties.