69 Comments
User's avatar
progress critique's avatar

That was really good , i could really laugh . You were describing another element of the expanding dystopia and yet in the middle of the ongoing absolute horrors in Gaza in Palestine and all the ongoing horrors in the world your ability to make me laugh is remarkeable. Just came to my mind 'The Clown' by Heinrich Böll . I try to imagine what it must be for you to write like this. I've been reading you since sometime after Oct 7. Thankyou

William Bowles's avatar

It needs 100,000 (or more) signatures, for Parliament to debate it. Currently it's 902,454, so where's the debate?

Baz's avatar

It’s a new petition-I guess it’ll take a wee while to filter through - but yeah, holding one’s breath for the outcome one wants could be a challenge.

William Bowles's avatar

The Britcard is Starmer's answer to the Reform Party, it exploits the same racist trope and, like the Terror Laws, will be used against all of us. The name Britcard, evokes the Union Jack, pathetic ruling class propaganda.

William Bowles's avatar

1,879,289 signatures

Lisa's avatar

Thank you for the link, signed!

Baz's avatar

Thanks to EuropeanPowell’s Substack, he’s got a great understanding on all these matters👍🏼

Hilary Minor's avatar

Just signed. Thank you for the link. 2,268,924 signatures now.

Baz's avatar

It’s still growing 👍🏼

Anark Whelm's avatar

Starmer and McSweeney really need to fuck right off… 😩

User's avatar
Comment deleted
Sep 26
Comment deleted
Anark Whelm's avatar

Streeting and Lammy, too. All of them, really!

Virgin Monk Boy's avatar

BritCard: because nothing says “restore public trust” like handing Tony Blair a digital skeleton key to everyone’s underwear drawer.

We’re told it’s for pot holes. Right. And the Patriot Act was for library cards. Next thing you know you’re scanning your retinas to buy a bag of crisps while an algorithm decides if you’ve had too much fun today.

Authoritarianism never shows up in jackboots anymore. It shows up as an app update with a cheery UX and “Accept Cookies” button the size of Gibraltar.

Toma's avatar

Coming soon to a cellphone on you-

You have just been evaluated by the Population Management Administration (PMA) and found wanting and deficient in your social activity beliefs. Please report to your designated euthanasia chamber by following the Google map provided and have your BRITCard ready to expedite matters. If you are unable to comply, a PMA police officer will be there shortly to assist you. Estimated wait time is 3 minutes. We apologize for the delay but are experiencing heavier than normal traffic today.

If you would like a detailed account of your political score, please visit the PMA website.

Thank you, and have a wonderful day!

Baz's avatar

‘Liked’ as in OMG!

Toma's avatar

We already have the US version of the Brit card. It's called the Realid and contains an RFID chip to track you wherever RF exists. Box stores, airports, Fed buildings. The police can scan it if you are stopped and have a direct link to government databases.

Box stores like Walmart use it to provide "individualized advertising" as you walk through.

If you are hooked up to cable with your telly it has a camera in it to monitor you and anyone in the room with facial recognition and also provides individual advertising based on credit card purchases, Internet and others. New major appliances have wifi chips connected to the electric company meter. Autos can be turned off by the police. Just to name a few things.

Passports now contain an RFID tag. You can't fly without a Real ID or passport. State id also includes a chip.

They've got us totally covered far worse than anything Orwell envisioned. I suggest that the Brits give the finger to this one. If not a hammer and a microwave finish will work on the chip.

And I'm amazed by reading the comments here how few people know about any of this. The US is #1 in fascist surveillance! Last in anything humanitarian.

Jos Backus's avatar

“Your compliance is important to us.”

Lisa's avatar

Israel WILL get that choke-chain onto you all, before you figure out how to shake off Keir Starmer.

KT's avatar

Truly terrifying. We need rid of Starmer as soon as possible. At first I thought he was bland and feckless but I am absolutely fine with admitting I was wrong; in actual fact he is an evil conniving bastard who seems to be doing more damage with every day he spends in office.

Davina's avatar

Or with his wife?

roos demol's avatar

I am old enough to remember Thatcher trying something similar. That did not go down well.

Carlé Costa's avatar

And never forget it: all your writes, talks, purchases, movements, GPSs, pornovisits, wills, dreams, silences, showers, etc, all these data story will be backed up in the megacloud of Unit 8200 of the IDF more moral intel army division in the world (who knows about which world they speak, do you?) ...

The wonder thug of Tony Blair is fully engage there: what could be wrong?

The Sir Starmer Soap and Sucker is working for humanity!

Penelope Prill's avatar

This reality not satire. Only you could put a cheeky spin on soul murder. Kudos.

salahuddin c's avatar

As long as the card has a crusader flag printed on one side and the Israeli flag on the other - oh and plays the National Anthem after every transaction it's bound to be a winner, innit?

Rebel Nun's avatar

But which national anthem?

salahuddin c's avatar

Aha..alternating might do it

Alan Page Memes.'s avatar

Emboss the true British flag on the Britcard.

wilter downs's avatar

Maga would flip out in America if even Trump tried to do this. A spy app to track down anti zionists and others.

Rebel Nun's avatar

A few would flip out but I think they would accept it. I should say “will” since I think it’s coming if we don’t stop this entire juggernaut. All the administration has to do is tell them it’s to protect them, as Laura says, from immigrants and trans people.

Michael Gease's avatar

Yes they will accept it because most Americans are too self absorbed to think deeply and analytically about such things. Scary funny essay, and very prescient.

wilter downs's avatar

Yea that is true. The Trump personality cult would smoothe everything over. They are horrific and are exactly what the Chinese government uses to track people.

Kathleen McCroskey's avatar

Oh? It's there, called Palantir.

Jasmine Doherty's avatar

“The details are deliberately as clear as mud so you lot don’t object too hard!”

Epic fail! 🤣

Paul Jackson's avatar

I assume that Palantir will be managing the data.

Baz's avatar

This from EuropeanPowell’s Substack:

WHY THIS MATTERS: Palantir already has its surveillance tentacles deep in UK infrastructure with 24+ government contracts including:

NHS - patient data analytics

Ministry of Defence - military intelligence

Police Forces - “predictive policing” systems

Cabinet Office - cross-govt data platform

DLUHC - local authority surveillance

Coventry City Council - citizen monitoring

PALANTIR’S TRACK RECORD:

•Built CIA’s tracking systems

•Created NSA mass surveillance tools

•“Predictive policing” = racial profiling algorithms

•Founded by Peter Thiel (Trump mega-donor)

•Profits from border surveillance & deportations

•Turns citizen data into surveillance gold

Given this EXTENSIVE presence across UK institutions, Palantir involvement in Brit Card is not just possible - it’s PROBABLE.

Paul Jackson's avatar

Thanks Baz, much appreciated. The growth rate of Palantir has been quite astonishing but not surprising given the surveillance opportunities they offer to our open and democratic societies.

Baz's avatar
Sep 27Edited

Yes Paul, sadly US Big Tech has the UK’s NHS is in their sights too.