In an ideal world, a property owner would be able to give an intruder the chance to surrender themselves to the [armed] occupant to be held until the authorities arrive. Reality, on the other hand, reminds us that there are x amount of variables to contend with in such a volatile and unpredictable situation.
In general, I don't really see a problem with homeowners being able to use deadly force in clear-cut scenarios without fear of prosecution. This is an area in which the UK could really learn from the US. In the UK, thanks to over twelve years of an ultra-liberal, slavishly pro-EU government, that means laws remain in place that by-and-large favour an injured intruder over a terrified homeowner that has taken matters into his own hands by forcibly repelling an intruder, you stand a good chance of going to prison for shooting or injuring an intruder. I kid you not when I tell you that I've lost count of how many times I've read in the papers that an intruder has successfully sued his victims for damages because in confronting the intruder on their property the homeowner infringed upon the intruder's human rights.
I don't, and never will, condone legislation that permits citizens to walk the streets with a concealed handgun.
You should. Crime plummets wherever concealed weapons are allowed. As you have also noted crime skyrockets wherever guns are denied to the civilian population. Australia is a wonderful example with violent crime increasing 44% after the gun bans.
The UK's situation I find particularly distasteful. An intruder can break into your home with a gun, you somehow manage to take it away from him and shoot him and you are the one who go's to prison. The UK is on a downhill slide from which I doubt she will recover for many decades.
As much as my patriotic conscience wants to refute and dismiss your observation, with what I'm assuming is focused on how UK law favours criminals - yes, you're right, we've allowed an intolerably liberal agenda to eradicate our right to defend ourselves and our property. We should take note from America's aggresive stance on intruders who will often use violence to avoid sanction for their crimes. I also think you're right that it will take a long time to re-establish ourselves as a people with a reputation for proudly being able to defend themselves without fear of prosecution. But, saying that, we only really have ourselves to blame for this inexcusable, liberally induced mess we've got ourselves into.
Sad but oh so true. I have family in Scotland (keep it to yourself!) and the crime there is atrocious. Some day the UK will come back to its senses but it will be a long time and a lot of good people are going to suffer in the interim.