
Courts Minister — for now — Sarah Sackman has helped David Lammy spearhead the biggest assault on our criminal justice system and English liberty in more than 800 years. Rather than doing the hard yards by investing in the courts, ensuring Crown courtrooms actually sit on working days, and boosting efficiency, the Government has sought to curb one of our oldest and most precious rights — the right to trial by jury. Sackman has claimed that it would take “nearly 300 years” to bring the backlog of cases, which stood at 80,061 at the end of March, back down to pre-COVID levels. The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has said the latest figures show that the backlog is coming back under control thanks to the decision to lift the cap on the number of judge sitting days. Riel Karmy-Jones KC, Chairwoman of the CBA, has said that the Government did not have a “shred of evidence that jury reforms were needed”. She went on to add: “It’s high time the government ditched its ill-conceived attack on the right to trial by jury.” Brett Dixon, Vice President of the Law Society of England and Wales, has said: “Rising pressure in the magistrates’ courts shows that the system remains under serious strain. “It’s time to scrap headline-grabbing plans to reduce jury trials and focus on the investments and reforms which will really make a difference.” The new Prime Minister must axe this sinister plan. Read more below 👇























