Summary
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer plans to cut down the number of jury trials in England and Wales as a way to reduce court delays. These changes aim to address the large backlog of criminal cases. The plan has faced pushback from Labour MPs and concerns about its impact on public trust in the justice system.
Key Facts
- Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer aims to reduce jury trials to speed up court processes.
- The backlog of criminal cases in England and Wales is over 79,600, expected to reach 100,000 by 2028.
- Under new plans, less serious cases would be handled by magistrates or judge-only trials.
- Serious cases like murder, robbery, and rape would still have jury trials.
- Labour MPs and opposition parties have expressed opposition to this plan.
- Justice Secretary David Lammy believes the backlog will be cleared by the mid-2030s.
- The government wants to recruit more magistrates to help with backlog issues.
- Concerns include risks to fairness and public trust in the justice system.
