Prime Minister Andy Burnham has officially scrapped controversial proposals aimed at reducing the use of jury trials in England and Wales. The decision marks a significant pivot from previous plans introduced by the Labour government, which sought to allow judges to hear cases solely for offenses carrying sentences of less than three years.
Justice Secretary Alex Norris confirmed the change in direction, citing the “strength of feeling” expressed by legal professionals and the public. The Ministry of Justice had previously indicated that only complex fraud and financial crimes would be tried without a jury, while thousands of medium-level offenses were intended to remain with volunteer magistrates.
The original reforms, first announced by former Justice Secretary David Lammy in December, were framed as a necessary measure to tackle record court backlogs. Those delays, currently standing at nearly 81,000 cases, have been exacerbated by pre-pandemic cuts and lockdown-related court closures. Projections had suggested the backlog could reach 100,000 before the next general election.
Under the abandoned plan, jury trials would have been reserved exclusively for the most serious indictable offenses, such as murder and rape. Less severe cases would have been decided by a judge alone in the Crown Court, while minor offenses would stay in magistrates’ courts, stripping defendants of the right to elect a jury trial.
Andrew Thomas KC, chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, welcomed the reversal but warned about other aspects of the proposed reforms. He highlighted concerns that shifting approximately 25,000 cases annually to magistrates’ courts could strain the system, given shortages of volunteer magistrates and their limited capacity to handle complex, multi-day trials involving serious assaults and sexual offenses.
Norris emphasized that the government remains committed to reducing backlogs and delivering swifter justice through structural reform and record investment. However, criminal lawyers and Conservative MPs hailed the abandonment of the jury trial changes as a major victory for the rule of law. Labour MP Karl Turner, who had been suspended from the party for criticizing the reforms, thanked the Prime Minister for his support during the campaign to defend trial by jury.
Victory for the rule of law? More like a victory for tradition over practicality. We need speed.
Another U-turn? When will this government stop and actually listen to what the public wants regarding justice?
Judge-only trials for fraud? Please. I’d be suspicious of any verdict without jury oversight.
Glad they backed down, but 81,000 backlogged cases is a crisis we can’t ignore. What’s the actual plan now?