Blair may back burglar law
Tony Blair has indicated that the Government may be about to back moves to give householders greater self-defence rights against burglars.
Responding to a question from Michael Howard at question time, Mr Blair said it was worth looking at whether the law needed clarifying.
It was important to send a "very, very clear signal to people that we are on the side of the victim, not the offender," he said.
Shadow homeland security minister Patrick Mercer is planning to take up the issue in a private members' Bill, raising the self defence threshold to "grossly disproportionate force" before householders could face prosecution.
Mr Howard took up the issue today, demanding: "Yesterday, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner said he totally supports the private members' Bill to change the law on self defence against burglars. Will the Government support it too?"
Mr Blair replied: "We've said we will consult now the chief police officers, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Attorney General.
"I entirely understand the concern on this particular issue. I share the general comments of the Metropolitan Police Commissioner. So if we get the right response back from those people, then of course we will support a change in the law.
"This particular backbench Bill has not yet been published. We will obviously have to consider the right way to take it forward. But I entirely share and understand the concern and I hope we can reach agreement on it."
The comments come just days after Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens said that householders should be allowed to use whatever force necessary to protect their homes against intruders.
Sir John said: "If it is 1am or 2am and someone is trying to defend their house, their wife or children with an intruder coming around the kitchen table at them with a knife, they need to know with some certainty what force they can use."
