Most people think that is absurd, and typical of the topsy turvy world in which we live."But Lord Falconer, scorning the move, pointed out that, if the change now being demanded had been in place when the Norfolk farmer Tony Martin shot dead a burglar as he tried to escape, the farmer would still have been prosecuted. But the figures still suggest that fewer than one in 100 burglars carries a weapon. Burglaries in London are at a 30-year low, with 212 burglaries of homes per 10,000 households. The Home Office has stressed the risk of being burgled is at its lowest for 20 years.In 2002-03 across the 21 million homes in England and Wales, there were 3,399 burglaries in which the offender was recorded as being armed. That type of offence has risen by 75 per cent in the past 13 years. In 2003-04, recorded cases fell by 8 per cent in England and Wales to 402,000. One chief constable ­ who asked not to be named ­ described the latest calls for a change in the law as a "typical knee-jerk reaction".Many police would instead prefer to see minimum new guidelines and clarification of the existing law to reassure the public.

While they know first-hand how traumatic burglary can be to those on the receiving end, they point out the figures paint a different picture to the impression left by headlines. Police say the killing last week of the City financier, John Monckton, and the stabbing of his wife at their Chelsea home, was very unusual The number of break-ins is falling ­ and has been for years. Many police chiefs are privately uneasy that security in the home is becoming a political football ­ with less regard paid to the facts than to theopinion polls. Caught out by the speed of the switch, Mr Howard called the Prime Minister "Mr Bandwagon".

He taunted: "Once again, where we lead, you follow." Indeed, there was a sense at Westminster that Mr Blair had given a further demonstration of his ability to steal Tory policies to cut the Opposition's chances of making political capital. Tony Blair announced yesterday that the Government will consider changing the law to protect householders from prosecution if they tackle burglars. Mr Blair clashed with the Tory leader, Michael Howard, in the Commons over an issue creating alarm across Britain: the fear of being attacked in one's own home. Mr Blair's remarks contradicted the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, who said 48 hours earlier that the existing law which allows "reasonable force" to be used by householders did not need to be changed. It was an adept piece of political manoeuvring that turned the tables on Mr Howard at Prime Minister's Questions and strengthened Labour's credentials to be tough on crime.Figures show, though, that the risk of being burgled is at its lowest for 20 years, with recorded cases falling 8 per cent over the past year in England and Wales.Signalling the about-turn, Mr Blair said the Government would consult chief police officers, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Attorney General on whether there should be new protection in the statute book for householders.

Mr Blair said it was important to send a "very, very clear signal to people" that the Government was on the side of the victim, not the offender. The 17-year-old Victoria had been free to marry Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia, and gave birth to Wilhelm, later Wilhelm II, the last German Kaiser, and arch-enemy of Britain during the First World War.. Mr Blair said: "If we get the right response from those, we will support a change in the law."He said he shared the views of the outgoing Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir John Stevens, who called for change, saying: "People should be allowed to use what force is necessary and they should be allowed to do so without any risk of prosecution". He proved remarkably popular as a monarch and his European connections paved the way for the Anglo-French Entente Cordiale of 1904.

The throne passed down his line of the family - to his son George V - when he died after a series of heart attacks in 1910. "Bloody Mary", who burnt Protestants at the stake, died in 1558. Elizabeth, who was imprisoned by Mary, succeeded and went on to defeat the Spanish Armada sent by Philip II, Mary's husband, re-establishing the Protestant faith.THE SAXE-COBURGSThe Princess Royal (Empress Frederick) and Edward VIIDespite being born a year before her brother Edward, Princess Victoria, eldest child of Queen Victoria, never went on to rule her country. When their mother died in 1901, the risqu?dward - famous for his indulgence in drink, gambling and women - became Edward VII. Edward's uncle, the Duke of Somerset, wielded power as protector but was executed in 1549 and succeeded by the Duke of Northumberland.