Prescott attacks call for 'Tony Martin law'

A move to make it legal for householders to shoot burglars was today condemned by John Prescott as "vigilante law".

The Deputy Prime Minister threw the weight of the Government against the proposal after it was demanded by the public in a radio poll.

He claimed that if the measure became law, "people would seriously injure or even murder burglars without fearing the consequences".

He said: "If you are going to give the right to someone to pick up a gun because they have seen somebody in the house and then shoot them, then that's the kind of vigilante law that I don't think Parliament will agree to."

The idea for a "Tony Martin law", named after the Norfolk farmer jailed for shooting dead a teenage burglar, finished top in a poll of listeners run by the Today programme.

Labour MP Stephen Pound had promised to introduce whichever proposed Bill won the poll. But he indicated his unhappiness with the result by declaring: "The people have spoken - the bastards."

Mr Prescott mocked the Today programme for running the poll, telling presenter Jim Naughtie: "That blew up in your face, didn't it?"

If a Bill ever went forward, it would have no chance of becoming law.