A question of identity?

We recently completed a sale of a flat. Our solicitor demanded that we produce the requisite identity – passport, utility bills etc.

“Why?”

“In case you aren’t who you say you are.”

“Pardon? You’ve bought and sold five properties for us and my wife has been dealing with you and your colleagues on behalf of her company once or twice a week for the last fifteen years.”

“I know, but rules are rules and you might be money laundering.”

“So how does our confirming we are us – which you know already – make any difference to our ability to money launder – if we were so minded – which we are not?.

I recounted this tale to my chum – who had one better. Her daughter who was a week shy of eighteen (and looks much older) wanted to buy a lottery scratch card (for which you need to be 16 or over). The woman behind the counter said

“No ID, no sale.” So mum says that she will buy it.

“Still no.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ll give it to her!”

Later that day, the daughter goes into another shop and sees her old friend Craig whom she has known for 13 years.

“No ID, no sale.”

“But we have been in the same class since we started together at primary school. You know I’ll be eighteen next week – you’re coming to my party.”

“Sorry, no. Rules are rules!”

About a year ago, a shop was reported as having refused to sell a girl a paper cutting out set for her little brother’s birthday, because she was only 14 and not allowed buy anything that contained scissors. The fact that the set was clearly designed with children in mind and marked “suitable for children over four” cut no ice at all.

The point of these three stories is not about the case for or against identity cards – which I agree with in principle, but not at the inflated price they were going to cost under the last government’s proposals. No, it is about the lack of flexibility and common sense that pervades every aspect of modern life.