Identity Card: Bennett Arron Is Charles Clarke?
CHARLES Clarke, the softly-spoken, bat-eared former Home Secretary, is happy. (Picture: Beau Bo D’Or.)
Clarke says in the Times: “This matter is now in the hands of the police and I think the only thing to say is that this absolutely proves the need for identity cards.”
The matter in question is, as the Times reports: “It seemed like a good idea at the time: a comedian tried to steal the identity of the Home Secretary in a stunt for a television show.
“Bennett Arron obtained a birth certificate and driving licence in the name of Charles Clarke in March last year, when the MP was in charge at the Home Office and pressing for the introduction of ID cards to combat terrorism and fraud.
“The idea was to highlight how easy it was to steal a person’s identity. But Arron’s joke backfired six months later when a team of detectives raided his house and arrested him for deception.”
It gets better:
Says Arron: “I wrote to the Home Office several times to tell them what I had done but they never got back to me. Then I got a dawn raid with them claiming to have found out via the DVLA. I really hope that’s the end of it. It wasn’t the most pleasant experience.”
Clarke sees this as evidence to support his plan for ID cards. These are cards that will show the world that you are whom you say are.
Then if Arron wants to be Charles Clarke he can just get himself an identity card. Not that anyone will be forging them, of course…
Posted: 5th, May 2007 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
