LONDON — Homeowners will be granted wider powers to tackle intruders under laws being championed by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling, who was due to address the Conservative Party conference on Tuesday.
Grayling told the Daily Telegraph newspaper he was looking to change the law "at the first opportunity" in order to give people more rights to protect their property.
"The basic premise of the change is to get the law to a position where if you are in your home, and you are confronted by an intruder -- then if, in the heat of the moment you use a level of force that in the cold light of day might seem disproportionate, the law will be on your side," he told the paper.
Grayling said he hoped to "finally lay the issue to rest" and suggested that only those using clearly excessive force would face criminal action.
Previous justice secretary Kenneth Clarke on Monday warned Prime Minister David Cameron that pandering to the party's right-wing could consign the party to "a long period in opposition".
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