Justice secretary David Lammy today confirmed that controversial jury trial reforms remain very much on his agenda – telling MPs that the Crown court backlog is too big to rely on more investment and sitting days alone to bring it down.
Despite last week's King's speech, which signalled the government's intention to proceed with jury trial reform, there has been speculation about whether embattled prime minister Keir Starmer would want to press ahead with a proposal that has been widely criticised.
In justice questions today, rebel MP Karl Turner told Lammy that ‘it must be absolutely exhausting holding on to an idea that only he, the justice secretary, still pretends is a good one’.
Turner said opponents to the controversial reform include Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who is expected to challenge Starmer for the top job should he win the Makerfield by-election. ‘When is [Lammy] going to let his ego get out the way and bin this ludicrous idea of curtailing jury trials,’ Turner asked.
Lammy replied that while Turner ‘makes his point with real force’, he failed to explain how the backlog should be reduced and stressed that the government was not scrapping jury trials.
The Lib Dems’ Jess Brown-Fuller told Lammy that backlogs have fallen in areas such as the Old Bailey, Chelmsford and Maidstone as a result of increased government funding and uncapped sitting days.
Lammy replied: ‘I am grateful that she recognises, because of the increased investment I put in and extra sitting days, we have seen a small reduction. I believe the modernisation we have talked about, particularly in listing and AI, will also make a difference. But I’ve got to tell her, if we’re serious about bringing down the backlog over the next few years given its size, we will need reform as well.’
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