Thousands of lawyers urge Keir Starmer to rethink plans to cut jury trials

"Plans to curtail the number of jury trials in England and Wales have been described as unpopular, untested and poorly evidenced by thousands of lawyers who have written to the prime minister. The letter to Keir Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions, from 3,200 lawyers, including 300 senior barristers, comes as his government faces the prospect of one of its most serious backbench revolts since coming to power."

"Lammy described the scale of the courts backlog, which the bill is aimed at addressing, as stark. He said the number of cases waiting to be heard in crown court had almost doubled, from about 38,000 in 2019 to nearly 80,000."

"More than 65 Labour MPs are thought to be considering voting against the bill, but it is understood that many may abstain and instead vote against it at a later stage of the legislative process, such as report stage."

The UK government's proposal to curtail jury trials has generated substantial opposition from legal professionals and politicians. Over 3,200 lawyers, including 300 senior barristers, have written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer opposing the plans, citing insufficient evidence and untested approaches. Justice Secretary David Lammy is pushing the legislation to address court backlogs, which have nearly doubled from 38,000 cases in 2019 to 80,000. More than 65 Labour MPs are considering voting against the bill, with some planning to abstain initially and vote against it at later legislative stages. The Conservatives are expected to force a vote on Tuesday. Lammy argues the changes are necessary to prevent criminals from escaping justice and to address systemic delays that harm victims.

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