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E-borders plans should be dropped

Saturday, 22nd August 2009

Letter to London local newspapers

Dear Sir,

The government is planning to collect the records of everyone who enters and leaves the UK under the so-called 'E-borders' scheme. Computerised records of all 250 million journeys made by individuals in and out of the UK each year will be kept for up to 10 years. This is impractical, intrusive and could lead to chaos at our ports and international rail stations.

It seems the government's answer to every problem these days is to create another database. But border control should not be about creating vast intrusive databases. Policing our borders properly should mean not letting in people who are not supposed to be here. Practical measures should include setting reasonable limits on immigration, manning all checkpoints and turning people without the right papers and whose lives are not in danger back at the border; not intruding into the free movement of our own citizens.

We are already the most watched nation in the world with one CCTV camera for every dozen citizens. Now the British government will know our every move at home and abroad. This is another step towards Big Brother Britain.

Yours sincerely

Syed Kamall
Conservative MEP for London