Tories launch household defence poster campaign

Friday, 4 February 2005 12:00 AM

The Conservatives have launched a new poster campaign to promote their new bill to change the legislation on householder defence.

Their private member's bill, tabled by Patrick Mercer seeks to change the law to allow householders to use any amount of force that stops short of "grossly disproportionate".

The Government says that no such change in the law is needed and the existing level of "reasonable force" is perfectly adequate. The Crown Prosecution Service and the Association of Chief Police Officers launched a new leaflet this week stressing that householders are very unlikely to be prosecuted for injuring or even killing burglars.

Mr Mercer's bill today passed its first reading in the House of Commons by 130 votes to four. But the Government can still try to block the bill at a later date.

Party leader Michael Howard said that the Conservatives would "put the rights of the homeowner first so that families sleep easy at night.

"I believe the law should protect them - not the burglar."

He pointed out that two years ago the law was changed to stop burglars suing householders unless the force used was "grossly disproportionate", and said that Labour should have supported the Tory bill to amend the prosecution test as well.

Laying into Tony Blair, he said: "It's yet another sign of how he has forgotten and lost touch with the majority of people in Britain."

"Once you've been the victim of burglary you feel violated - because your home is the centre of your life. And you lose precious possessions - presents given to you by loved ones, members of your family who have since passed away. I know. I have been burgled myself.

"People deserve to feel safe in their own homes."

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