The Labour government is facing accusations of distrusting the British public following reports it is considering a major overhaul of the justice system that would see jury trials reserved for only the most serious crimes.
The Core of the Controversy
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick launched a fierce attack in the House of Commons, suggesting the government holds a 'lawyers know best' attitude. This comes after The Times obtained a memo from Justice Secretary David Lammy which stated there is 'no right' to jury trials in the UK and that such a move would not compromise a suspect's rights.
The potential policy is based on recommendations from Sir Brian Leveson's review of the courts system. The review proposed that juries should be reserved for cases involving rape, murder, and manslaughter. Less serious offences would be diverted to magistrates' courts or a new Crown Court Bench Division where trials would be heard by judges alone.
Government and Opposition Clash
Responding to an urgent question from the opposition, justice minister Sarah Sackman defended the government's position. She pledged to do 'whatever it takes to protect the fundamental right to a fair trial' while also addressing significant court backlogs.
'Jury trials will always be a cornerstone of British justice,' Ms Sackman told MPs on Thursday 27 November 2025. She emphasised that the 'great British justice system' could not let victims wait, in some instances, up to four years for justice.
Ms Sackman also pointed out that 'around 90% of all criminal cases are dealt with robustly, fairly, by magistrates with no jury,' arguing that judge-only trials are already the norm for the vast majority of cases.
A Battle of Ideologies
Mr Jenrick criticised Mr Lammy for not responding to the urgent question himself, sarcastically asking if a 'search party' needed to be sent to Savile Row. He then framed the issue as a matter of trust in the public.
'The truth is the Labour Party just don't think ordinary people are up to it. They don't trust them with these decisions,' Jenrick stated. He linked the proposal to other contentious issues, saying, 'Give away the Chagos islands, shackle us to the ECHR, scrap jury trials – all because lawyers know best.'
In her rebuttal, Ms Sackman accused the opposition of hypocrisy, claiming Jenrick 'denigrates our independent judges' and the legal community while purporting to care about legal traditions. She confirmed that a government response to the first part of Sir Brian Leveson's review is expected 'very soon,' stressing that 'no final decisions have been made on exactly how to take forward the blueprint.'
