Starmer facing new rebellion as dozens of Labour MPs sign letter against scrapping jury trials
Sir Keir Starmer faces another rebellion over plans to restrict jury trials after 39 Labor MPs signed a letter opposing the plans.
Earlier this month the justice secretary announced plans to scrap jury trials for offenses punishable by less than three years’ imprisonment in England and Wales.
David Lammy also announced that judges, who deal with most criminal cases, will take on more work and that new “fast-track courts” will be set up in line with recommendations made in retired judge Sir Brian Leveson’s review.
But some of Sir Keir’s MPs have signed a letter describing the plans as “madness” and warned they were not prepared to support the proposals.
The letter was drawn up by Kingston upon Hull MP Karl Turner, who warned that the letter had been signed by MPs from different groups, “not just the usual suspects”.
“Seriously restricting the right to trial by jury is not a magic wand. Limiting a fundamental right that will make a marginal difference to the backlog is madness and will cause more problems than it solves,” the letter said, warning that the public “will not allow a fundamental right to be eroded.”
Speaking to BBC Radio 4 Today Mr Turner, who appeared on the programme, said the planned changes were “unfair” and that the “right to be tried before the tribunal of one’s own people” had “existed for nearly 800 years”.
“This will not work and I’m afraid the government will have to realize this and change its attitude,” he said.
He stated that he had never rebelled against the Labor whip before, but was now prepared to do so for the first time.
The Labor MP had previously challenged Sir Keir on the issue at PMQs, warning jury trials were not the cause of the backlog.
He also suggested that restrictions should only be introduced with a sunset clause once the backlog is cleared.
Meanwhile Liverpool Walton MP Dan Carden, chairman of the influential Blue Labor group, said: Independent: “I served on the jury this year and was incredibly impressed by the whole process. Jury trials are a cornerstone of civic engagement and the long history of British justice. I don’t want either to be diminished.”
Justice select committee chairman Andy Slaughter also warned against the changes.
“Restricting jury trials may help reduce the workload at the crown court, but there is no evidence that the use of juries is causing the current delay,” he told the House of Commons on Thursday.
The letter’s signatories include senior figures such as former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, who is now suspended from Labour, Vicky Foxcroft of the left-wing Tribune group and Dan Carden, who runs the right-wing Blue Labor group.
Meanwhile, the latest data published on Thursday showed the crown court backlog in England and Wales has risen to nearly 80,000 cases, a new record.
According to Ministry of Justice figures, this figure increased by 9 percent compared to the same point in the previous year.
The number of cases open for a year or more exceeded 20,000 for the first time, at 20,155 at the end of September; This figure increased by 25 percent on an annual basis and by 6 percent compared to the end of June.
Open caseload refers to the number of unresolved cases.
It comes as estimates published by the Ministry of Justice earlier this month suggested that under current circumstances the royal court backlog could reach a forecast as high as 125,000 by the end of this parliament.
The changes are aimed at preventing victims from facing a “painful delay” in the system as some cases are listed until 2030.
Responding to the record high, Mr Lammy, who is also deputy prime minister, said: “This government has inherited a system on the verge of collapse.
“Victims’ lives are put on hold as cases are pushed forward several years.
“The scale of the crisis means that trimming the edges is not enough. We cannot do our best to get out of this mess; only fundamental reform can deliver fairer and faster justice to brave survivors of crime.”
