Subject: "Simple ID card would make for simpler life"

22 Oct 1994, The Financial Times, London link

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Sir, To my chagrin, my Spanish wife can enter and leave the UK with no more than a credit card sized ID card. Furthermore, in many countries ID cards are essential for day-to-day business purposes such as entering clients’ offices. Passports are have to be carried in lieu of ID cards.

To avoid the hassle of carrying a passport whilst abroad I have made myself an ID card! Whilst consulting in South Africa last year I stuck a photograph on my UK driving licence and my client over-stamped it with his company's stamp and signed it.

I’ve had no problems with my "official" papers within and without the EU though I have not yet tried it at a frontier.

May I suggest a cheap and speedy low-tech ID card - the back cover of the EU/UK passport. The blank reverse could contain the holder’s signature, driving licence and National Insurance details.

Copyright Warren Edwardes, Delphi Creativity 1994

Delphi Creativity is the Innovation Management arm of Delphi Risk Management Limited

Post Script

5 years later in 30 June 1999

ID cards 'to replace' crisis-hit passports

A VOLUNTARY national identity card system is again being considered by ministers as Jack Straw admitted yesterday that travellers faced a summer of chaos over the backlog of unprocessed passport applications. .........

Delphi's idea could soon become law.

January 13 2000

Compact passport 'is ID card by stealth'

A PHOTOCARD passport that could form the basis of a national identity document is being developed and could be introduced within three years. ...

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