"An important player in global geopolitics. Then he found himself out on his ear. Replaced by Yvette Cooper, who had been booted out of the Home Office for being perceived to be soft on asylum seekers. But at least Yvette got to fail upwards. Lammy just found himself downgraded to justice secretary. A department that has been unloved, downgraded and underfunded for years."
"Lammy appeared in the Commons to make a statement on curtailing the right to trial by jury. This was once-in-a-generation reform, he said. The justice system was falling to pieces. The court backlog was now running at 78,000 and would soon reach 100,000. Defendants were pleading not guilty to buy some time in the hope that victims and courts would lose patience and drop their cases."
David Lammy was removed from the foreign secretary role and reassigned as justice secretary, taking charge of an underfunded department. Political shifts left Rachel Reeves relieved after budget tensions eased and opponents quieted. Lammy announced plans to curb the right to trial by jury as a once-in-a-generation reform, citing a court backlog at 78,000 rising toward 100,000 and defendants pleading not guilty to delay proceedings. Proposed remedies include increased funding, more sitting days, court and prison construction, repairs, training more judges and barristers, and expanding legal aid, but those measures require sustained time and investment that politicians are unwilling to commit.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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