As the Conservative party conference commenced in Birmingham, shadow justice secretary Kemi Badenoch declared a significant political triumph after the Labour government reversed its plan to limit the right to jury trials in crown court cases.
Despite the U-turn, Badenoch argued that the opposition party continues to erode judicial independence. She stated that Labour is still “restricting juries by the back door” by removing the option for jurors in certain cases and transferring those matters to magistrates, whose dockets are already at record highs.
The political developments coincide with the release of a new book by historian Anthony Seldon and co-author Tom Egerton, titled “Sunak at 10.” The work examines whether Rishi Sunak was truly the last Conservative prime minister. Initially, during the early stages of Badenoch’s leadership, it appeared the Tories might cease to be a viable party of government. However, the authors now conclude that this is unlikely, writing in July 2026 that while the party requires deep self-reflection on its internal failures, it remains a potent political force.
Badenoch’s leadership position has strengthened considerably over the past two years. Following the ousting of Iain Duncan Smith, she delivered a well-received conference speech and offered a sharp critique of the budget, causing her approval ratings among Conservative members and right-leaning voters to surge. Her grip on the party is now considered secure, with any candidates favoring radically different policy approaches being removed from selection lists.
On the issue of legal reform, Conservatives highlighted that nearly 81,000 cases remain stuck in the crown court. They criticized Labour for lacking a commitment to increase court sitting days, noting that the government found time to legislate a review on how its reforms affect people from different backgrounds instead of addressing the backlog directly.
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