RADIO FOUR APPEARANCE TRAPS LAMB

Last Thursday the Today Programme came to Cromer to interview me about the Listeners' Law poll on which I was a judge oiver Christmas. You may remember the so-called Tony Martin law won the day, yet Labour MP Stephen Pound reneged on his promise to introduce whchever law topped the Radio 4 poll. The aim of the interview was to ask what I as a candidate could do to promote the law now. I made the point that people do not feel the current law protects them and cited examples of where that has undoubtedly been the case, although was careful not to rise to the bait of promoting the use of firearms. They then had a clip with Norman Lamb who accused me of being "populist". Er, actually I was reflecting the strongly held concerns of ordinary law-abiding citizens. He went on to say rather pompously that "the law already gives someone the right to defend themselves if they use reasonable force". Try telling that to the Policeman who was sued by a burglar who attacked him and he fought back. I ended the interview by saying that if I am elected next year I will introduce a Private Member's Bill on this issue. It's a promise I aim to deliver on.