Andy Burnham has abandoned the Government’s disputed proposals to restrict the use of jury trials.
The Prime Minister reversed the policy, first brought forward under former premier Sir Keir Starmer, which was intended to ease the severe backlog facing courts across the UK.
Under the revised approach, only selected fraud and other financial cases will be eligible to be tried by a judge alone, without a jury, the Ministry of Justice said.
Justice Secretary Alex Norris said he had decided to “change course” after taking into account the “strength and feeling” expressed against the proposals.
Labour MPs on the backbenches, opposition parties and leading barristers had all raised concerns about fairness. Critics also questioned whether removing juries would genuinely reduce the huge number of outstanding cases.
Barrister Karl Turner, who lost the Labour Whip earlier this year after speaking out against the plans, welcomed the decision to drop the legislation.
He also thanked Mr Burnham “for his support during my campaign”.
Mr Turner, the outspoken MP for Kingston upon Hull East since 2010, said he had held direct discussions with the Justice Secretary about the proposals in recent weeks.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham applauds at the close of the Labour Party’s annual conference
Outspoken barrister and Kingston upon Hull East MP Karl Turner
Reacting to the Government’s decision, Mr Turner said: “I strongly welcome the fact that the new Justice Secretary, Alex Norris, has rightly binned the unworkable plans to curtail jury trials pursued under the previous Labour prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer.”
The Hull East MP said he would continue urging ministers to uphold the public’s right to a fair trial.
“This is an important step, but the fight to protect access to justice and ensure justice is properly served for both victims and the accused does not end here.”
Former Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy had been a leading supporter of limiting jury trials, but the proposed legislation faced intense opposition in Parliament.
Mr Lammy previously argued that the reforms were “desperately needed” to stop victims enduring what he described as “agonising delays”.
Ministry of Justice figures recorded 80,829 cases waiting to be heard in court at the end of June. The backlog has doubled since 2020.
Under Mr Lammy’s proposed Courts and Tribunals Bill, jury trials in England and Wales would have been reserved for cases expected to result in sentences of at least three years, including offences such as murder and rape.
Cases carrying a likely sentence of three years or less would instead have been heard by a single Crown Court judge, without a jury.
Justice Secretary Alex Norris leaves Westminster Abbey after attending the annual Judges Service on October 1
Former Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy discusses criminal court reform last year
Mr Norris insisted that scrapping the proposal would allow the Government to reduce the backlog faster, as it would require less structural change.
The Ministry of Justice also announced that criminals accused of ‘relatively minor crimes’ will lose the right to choose a Crown Court jury trial over a Magistrates’ Court hearing.
This change would give courts the final say on where and how the ‘either-way’ offences are dealt with in the legal system.
The Justice Secretary said: ‘This Government inherited criminal courts on the brink of collapse, with victims waiting years for their day in court.
‘I remain committed to bringing down the backlog and delivering swifter justice for those who so desperately need it.
‘But I have heard the strength of feeling on the proposals for increasing the number of judge-alone trials in the crown court and have made the decision to change course.
Mr Norris added that the cancelled plans will mean victims do not have to endlessly wait for justice.
‘Justice delayed is justice denied, and I am committed to maximising efficiencies in our system alongside record investment.
‘I remain committed to structural reform which is crucial if we are to bring down the backlog.’
The changes will be made to the Courts and Tribunals Bill, when it is back on the agenda in Parliament later this month.
Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy said: ‘This is a major victory for everyone who fought to defend trial by jury, and Conservatives led that fight from day one.
‘Labour have been forced to abandon its central attack on jury trials in the Crown Court.
‘Labour are restricting juries by the back door, scrapping the right to elect one and dumping those cases on magistrates whose backlog is at a record high.’
The proposed reforms were a response to recommendations made by Sir Brian Leveson to overhaul the courts system.
In his review, the former senior judge found there is ‘no constitutional or common law’ right, or right within European human rights law, for a defendant to be tried by a jury, and so there was no need to limit reforms because of this.
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