Andy Burnham has scrapped the controversial plan to curb jury trials in a move praised as “common-sense” by legal groups. The proposals had been pushed by former PM Keir Starmer to tackle the court backlog, but met furious opposition, from both Labour MPs and legal professionals.
Justice Secretary changes course
Justice Secretary Alex Norris said he decided to “change course” after hearing the “strength of feeling on the proposals”. He said: “This Government inherited criminal courts on the brink of collapse, with victims waiting years for their day in court. I remain committed to bringing down the backlog and delivering swifter justice for those who so desperately need it.
“But I have heard the strength of feeling on the proposals for increasing the number of judge-alone trials in the crown court and have made the decision to change course.
“Justice delayed is justice denied, and I am committed to maximising efficiencies in our system alongside record investment. I remain committed to structural reform which is crucial if we are to bring down the backlog.”
Legal groups welcome decision
Only some fraud and financial offences will now be allowed to be heard before a judge alone without a jury. Welcoming the decision, Mark Evans, president of the Law Society of England and Wales said: “Too much time has been wasted to reach this common-sense position while the backlogs in the Crown and magistrates’ courts have remained unacceptably high.
“We remain concerned that putting more cases into the magistrates’ court, which also faces record backlogs, without increasing capacity places even greater strain on an already overburdened system and risks serious cases facing summary justice.”
Bar Council Chair Kirsty Brimelow KC said: “This is a significant and welcome move away from reducing the only part of the criminal justice system that actually works, namely jury trials.
“We welcome the government’s swift action in retaining juries and particularly thank the new Lord Chancellor for listening to the Bar and wider legal profession.”
Former champion of the plan
Former justice secretary David Lammy, who championed the move, had claimed the reforms were “desperately needed” to prevent victims facing “agonising delays”. Mr Lammy wanted to reserve jury trials for “indictable-only” offences such as murder and rape, and lesser “either-way” offences with a likely sentence of more than three years in prison.
Barrister Karl Turner, who had the Labour whip suspended after he criticised the plan, welcomed the decision, and thanked the Prime Minister “for his support”.
