Comments on: Charles Clarke – I hate you http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/114233231257880987/ In search of a European identity Sat, 07 Jan 2012 12:16:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Jez http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/114233231257880987/comment-page-1/#comment-4301 Jez Wed, 15 Mar 2006 03:46:00 +0000 http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/14/114233231257880987/#comment-4301 I got a new passport last year. Now I can't seem to find it. Fucksticks. I hear what you say about leaving the country, but I've in foreign parts several times before, with the general perception that State interference in my life was more pronounced over there (in France) than it is/was back in Blighty. And in any event, I'm buggered if I'm going to be forced out by the Jim 'king Murphy or any other NuLabour monkeys. This country is a damn sight better than what those tossrags are trying to turn it into, and it will survive this authoritarianism (don't mean to come across as a Little Englander Tory there, BTW - I'm anything but that). I got a new passport last year.

Now I can't seem to find it.

Fucksticks.

I hear what you say about leaving the country, but I've in foreign parts several times before, with the general perception that State interference in my life was more pronounced over there (in France) than it is/was back in Blighty. And in any event, I'm buggered if I'm going to be forced out by the Jim 'king Murphy or any other NuLabour monkeys. This country is a damn sight better than what those tossrags are trying to turn it into, and it will survive this authoritarianism (don't mean to come across as a Little Englander Tory there, BTW – I'm anything but that).

]]> By: Armin http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/114233231257880987/comment-page-1/#comment-4300 Armin Tue, 14 Mar 2006 20:38:00 +0000 http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/14/114233231257880987/#comment-4300 Passport voluntary? Yeah right. Last I heard the UK hadn't even joined Schengen, so you can't even travel to the immediate neighbours without a passport. Then the US, don't they now require a biometric passport (or whatever that thing was called)? Now you could argue that you don't have to travel there. So far so good. But try to explain that to your employer, in particular if you work for any international company. At least occasional international travel is pretty much expected there, I doubt you'll get a job with them if you refuse to travel. Suddenly a passport doesn't look so voluntary to me any more. Passport voluntary? Yeah right.

Last I heard the UK hadn't even joined Schengen, so you can't even travel to the immediate neighbours without a passport.

Then the US, don't they now require a biometric passport (or whatever that thing was called)?

Now you could argue that you don't have to travel there. So far so good.

But try to explain that to your employer, in particular if you work for any international company. At least occasional international travel is pretty much expected there, I doubt you'll get a job with them if you refuse to travel.

Suddenly a passport doesn't look so voluntary to me any more.

]]> By: bt http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/114233231257880987/comment-page-1/#comment-4299 bt Tue, 14 Mar 2006 15:16:00 +0000 http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/14/114233231257880987/#comment-4299 Voluntary document? It used to be - sort of. Time was when a passport was not needed for a UK citizen to enter or leave the country, just some proof of residence. Didn't help the other side off the Channel, of course. Also, A.P.Herbert in one of his splendid Haddock vs Government Stupidity tales added some interesting footnotes. The wording in the back of the passport gradually changed from "This is a valuable document..." to include such phrases as "...and may be withdrawn at the discretion of...." without legislation being passed to back it up. No doubt that has now been rectified; it'd be interesting to find out. Shipping out to foreign parts might work; apparently UK passports renewed in Consulates abroad will not have the automatic requirement of I.D. card registration. Voluntary document?
It used to be – sort of. Time was when a passport was not needed for a UK citizen to enter or leave the country, just some proof of residence. Didn't help the other side off the Channel, of course.

Also, A.P.Herbert in one of his splendid Haddock vs Government Stupidity tales added some interesting footnotes. The wording in the back of the passport gradually changed from "This is a valuable document…" to include such phrases as "…and may be withdrawn at the discretion of…." without legislation being passed to back it up. No doubt that has now been rectified; it'd be interesting to find out.

Shipping out to foreign parts might work; apparently UK passports renewed in Consulates abroad will not have the automatic requirement of I.D. card registration.

]]> By: Longrider http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/114233231257880987/comment-page-1/#comment-4298 Longrider Tue, 14 Mar 2006 14:46:00 +0000 http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/14/114233231257880987/#comment-4298 <i>...simply start deleting your tedious contributions every time they appear.</i> That's what I'd do. Wordpress has an IP auto moderate facility, so the comments will never appear. …simply start deleting your tedious contributions every time they appear.

That's what I'd do. WordPress has an IP auto moderate facility, so the comments will never appear.

]]> By: Longrider http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/114233231257880987/comment-page-1/#comment-4295 Longrider Tue, 14 Mar 2006 14:40:00 +0000 http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/14/114233231257880987/#comment-4295 I renewed my passport last year - got an extra 9 months added to its term because I was renewing early. So, as far as passport renewal is concerned, I'm okay until 2016. By which time one of three things will have happened. The legislation will fail to materialise. It will have passed through parliament but collapsed under its own weight. I will be living abroad - the most likely scenario. BTW - is this the same Troll that Justin was complaining about? I renewed my passport last year – got an extra 9 months added to its term because I was renewing early.

So, as far as passport renewal is concerned, I'm okay until 2016. By which time one of three things will have happened.

The legislation will fail to materialise.

It will have passed through parliament but collapsed under its own weight.

I will be living abroad – the most likely scenario.

BTW – is this the same Troll that Justin was complaining about?

]]> By: Nosemonkey http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/114233231257880987/comment-page-1/#comment-4296 Nosemonkey Tue, 14 Mar 2006 14:40:00 +0000 http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/14/114233231257880987/#comment-4296 Getting increasingly bored of you during temporary lulls in work, while trying to decide whether to follow the example of numerous other bloggers and simply start deleting your tedious contributions every time they appear. Getting increasingly bored of you during temporary lulls in work, while trying to decide whether to follow the example of numerous other bloggers and simply start deleting your tedious contributions every time they appear.

]]> By: Nosemonkey http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/114233231257880987/comment-page-1/#comment-4297 Nosemonkey Tue, 14 Mar 2006 14:40:00 +0000 http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/14/114233231257880987/#comment-4297 Longrider - I believe so, yes. Pointless, isn't he? Longrider – I believe so, yes. Pointless, isn't he?

]]> By: Earl Jackson http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/114233231257880987/comment-page-1/#comment-4294 Earl Jackson Tue, 14 Mar 2006 14:24:00 +0000 http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/14/114233231257880987/#comment-4294 Meanwhile, you're doing what? Meanwhile, you're doing what?

]]> By: Nosemonkey http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/114233231257880987/comment-page-1/#comment-4293 Nosemonkey Tue, 14 Mar 2006 14:15:00 +0000 http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/14/114233231257880987/#comment-4293 Merely that you must have a rather pathetic life if this is the best you can come up with as a way to idle away the hours. Go and have a wank or something - far more fun. Merely that you must have a rather pathetic life if this is the best you can come up with as a way to idle away the hours. Go and have a wank or something – far more fun.

]]> By: Earl Jackson http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/114233231257880987/comment-page-1/#comment-4292 Earl Jackson Tue, 14 Mar 2006 14:11:00 +0000 http://www.jcm.org.uk/blog/2006/03/14/114233231257880987/#comment-4292 Mmmm...very interesting. Your point being? Mmmm…very interesting. Your point being?

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