Downing Street Says » Mercer Bill

» Tuesday, December 7, 2004

Mercer Bill

Asked what the Prime Minister’s view on Michael Howard’s challenge to give him "a fair wind" on Patrick Mercer’s Bill, the PMOS replied that not only had the Mercer Bill had not been published, so any answer would be theoretical, but also, regarding the need for clarification, we had clearly conceded there was some confusion about the defence of reasonable force. This was a matter for the Home Office to study, as he had indicated earlier in the day and during the week. The key test for any other proposal was whether it was practical, and whether it could be applied in court to any other case. The law as it stood at the moment, did allow for reasonable force to be applied, but that needed to be clarified.

Asked if therefore the government was not ruling out support for the Mercer Bill, the PMOS said that he was neither ruling it in nor out, but what he was saying was what the general indication of the Home Office was. It was not a hint.

Asked again if the Mercer Bill was going to become law, the PMOS repeated that people should not draw any conclusions, since it had not yet been published.

Asked whether he was now saying that this issue was now being treated separately from the Murder Review, the PMOS confirmed he was, and apologised for confusing the two issues earlier in the week. The issues were related but separate.

Asked when the clarification would be made and whether it would be issued as guidelines, the PMOS said people should wait and see.

Asked about Sir John Stevens support for the Conservatives’ view about the Bill, the PMOS replied that Sir John Stevens was a free agent and could do what he wished.

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