Met a criminal judge at an event today & asked his opinion on the Ministry of Justice plan to scrap many jury trials. He did not hold back (and agreed to be quoted anonymously): "[David] Lammy is a buffoon. Scrapping juries in the way he describes is like saying that because prisons

I know exactly who is behind this headline

Listening to David Lammy on BBC Radio 4 Today attempting to justify abolishing trial by jury, it is increasingly and terrifyingly clear that he simply does not understand the issues.

We have continuously opposed proposals to curtail jury trials because there is no evidence that their removal would reduce the backlog nor has it been set out how an alternative system would be resourced. We urge the government to reconsider pursuing radical changes under the

The way these two are singlehandedly saving Christmas TV this year

David Lammy Natalie Fleet MP You have yet to show why jury trial is causing the backlog. You have yet to show why opening up all the available courts for trials won’t cut that backlog, rather than abandoning jury trials. You’ve gone for the cheap option, rather than the right one.

David Lammy This is disingenuous. There is no evidence at all that removing the right to jury trial will make any meaningful dent in the backlog. Also, “victims first” is petty politicking that should be beneath you. Justice means justice for all. Not every accused person is guilty.

Vicki speaking for pretty much every viewer here! #EastEnders

Duncan Lindsay

Fund the system properly, implement more sitting days.

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Bar leaders’ statement on government’s response to the Leveson review of criminal courts We fundamentally disagree with the government’s plan to restrict the deeply entrenched constitutional principle of a jury trial. The government faces two problems: bearing on the backlog