Labour MP urges Lammy to abandon 'foolish' jury trial proposal

A senior Labour MP has called on Justice Secretary David Lammy to halt plans aimed at reducing the number of jury trials in England and Wales, describing the proposals as "stupid" and undemocratic. Karl Turner told the BBC that the changes were not genuinely intended to tackle court backlogs and urged Lammy to reconsider immediately.

Turner, a former shadow attorney general, joins other Labour MPs in opposing plans to remove jury trials for offences likely to carry sentences under three years. Conservative critics have labelled the proposals as the "beginning of the end of jury trials," while Lammy maintains the reforms are "bold" yet "necessary."

Changes to Jury Trials

Under the proposed reforms, jury trials would only be held for "indictable-only" offences, including murder and rape, or "either-way" offences where a sentence of more than three years is likely. Volunteer magistrates would handle most remaining cases, supported by newly established "swift courts." Lammy claims this system could resolve cases 20% faster, aiming to prevent Crown Court workloads from reaching 100,000 by 2028, up from a current backlog nearing 78,000.

Labour Criticism

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Turner described the announcement as "fundamentally dishonest," arguing that delays are caused by inadequate court facilities and outdated technology, not the jury system itself. He called the plan unworkable and warned ministers of a potential political setback if pursued.

Turner urged Lammy to "get a grip" and abandon the proposal, adding to growing opposition within Labour. Six MPs, including former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, formally backed Turners motion against the reforms. Other Labour figures, such as Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Stella Creasy, highlighted the risks to justice and questioned the plan's effectiveness, noting jury trials account for only 3% of cases.

Clive Efford raised concerns that the changes could disadvantage working-class defendants, creating a divide in the justice system, while Richard Burgon described the policy as alarming.

Background on Reforms

The reforms follow a review by former High Court judge Sir Brian Leveson, which recommended ending jury trials for most offences with sentences up to five years and diverting them to a new intermediate court, the Crown Court bench division. With roughly 1.3 million prosecutions annually in England and Wales, only 10% reach Crown Court, and just 30% of those go to trial, meaning the majority of cases would remain outside jury trials under the new system.

Author: Olivia Parker