People who break in to people’s homes “leave their human rights outside” the moment they do, Tory leader David Cameron said yesterday.
He said that Conservatives would strengthen the law to protect householders who exercise their “legitimate” right to self-defence when confronted by an intruder.
“It’s to make sure that fewer cases, frankly, are taken to court, that fewer people are arrested for doing what I think is perfectly legitimate, which is to defend yourself in your own home,” he said.
“The moment a burglar steps over your threshold, and invades your property – with all the threat that gives to you, your family and your livelihood – I think they leave their human rights outside.”
Mr Cameron has previously spoken out on the issue after TV presenter Myleene Klass complained that she was cautioned by police for waving a knife at intruders who entered her garden.
He said that under the Conservative proposals, householders would only face prosecution if they used “grossly disproportionate” force against a burglar.
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson dismissed the suggestion that burglars should forfeit their human rights as impractical.
“It’s a wonderful soundbite but that’s all it is. You know it’s not a practical policy,” he said.
“It’s not a practical principle of law that you can operate when you say that anyone who is attempting to burgle another house, thereby renounces all their rights under the law. What sort of country is he trying to create?
“Of course it will receive short-term public applause from those who want to get tough on burglars, as we do in our government, but where’s the practical commonsense policy thinking?” added Lord Mandelson.