SENIOR legal figures have slammed David Lammy’s jury reforms as “unworkable” as the Government prepared to face a backbench rebellion today.
The changes urged by the Justice Secretary include scrapping the right to a jury trial for all but the most serious cases.
Lawyers will stage a protest outside Parliament today ahead of MPs voting on the Courts and Tribunals Bill’s second reading.
In a letter to The Times yesterday, legal figures including Riel Karmy-Jones KC, chair of the Criminal Bar Association, said: “We disagree with the replacement of judge and jury trials with judge-only trials . . . because the changes will be unworkable.
“The evidence that they will significantly affect the backlog of cases is too thin to support the policy.”
The Tories plan to force a vote against the Bill, with Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy calling for Labour MPs to vote with him.
Meanwhile, a report from the Institute for Government today warns the reforms risk “miscarriages of justice”.
Tory MP Mr Timothy said: “The right to a jury trial is one of the foundations of our constitution, and this is an unacceptable attack on an ancient right.
“Juries provide a safeguard between the citizen and the state. But Labour want to weaken it because Keir Starmer and David Lammy are putting what is politically expedient ahead the hard yards of court reform.
“Parliament has a clear choice. It can stand up for one of the oldest rights in our justice system or let Labour take a sledgehammer to our constitution. Conservatives will vote to defend jury trials, and I urge Labour MPs to do the same.”
TV personality Rob Rinder wrote to MPs last week to urge them to oppose the bill, warning that “eroding jury trial” will not fix the court backlog.
Mr Lammy said: “Even with investment and five percent efficiency gains this parliament, rising to 10 per cent efficiency gains in the next parliament, the backlog is projected to hit 133,000 by 2035. It is only if we add in our package of reforms that projections go down to 49,000 by 2035.
“The choice for parliamentarians is clear. Support our Bill so that 84,000 fewer lives are on hold by 2035. Ensure victims get the swift and fair justice they deserve.”
