Justice secretary says reforms are needed to tackle court delays as senior MP threatens by-election

JUSTICE SECRETARY David Lammy has defended plans to restrict the use of jury trials, arguing the changes are necessary to reduce growing delays and “save the criminal justice system”, as opposition mounts within Labour ranks.

The proposals, which would remove the automatic right to a jury trial for offences carrying a likely prison sentence of three years or less, have sparked a rebellion from backbench MPs and concern among parts of the legal profession.

Speaking on Monday (Jan 12), Mr Lammy said the Crown Court backlog in England and Wales — now standing at around 80,000 cases — could not be cleared without significant reform. He said the measures were designed to ensure the system was “fit for purpose” and capable of delivering justice more quickly for victims and defendants alike.

Mr Lammy recently visited Canada to examine its use of judge-only trials, where many criminal cases are heard without a jury. He said the approach had operated there for decades and was “very normal”, adding that in some cases defendants preferred being tried by a single judge.

He said he was open to a “sunset clause” that would make the changes temporary, allowing Parliament to review their impact. He said he hoped the backlog would be significantly reduced by 2029, ahead of the next general election, and cleared entirely by the mid-2030s.

However, the plans have triggered a fierce response from Labour MP Karl Turner, a former shadow attorney general and practising criminal barrister. Mr Turner has warned he would consider resigning from Parliament to force a by-election unless the proposals are dropped.

Breaking the Labour whip for the first time since entering the Commons in 2010, Mr Turner sided with the Conservatives in a protest vote against the reforms. He accused the Government of undermining a cornerstone of the justice system and told Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, himself a former director of public prosecutions, that he “ought to be ashamed”.

In interviews with The Sunday Times and Times Radio, Mr Turner said he was “completely ashamed” of the proposals and claimed Mr Lammy had been misled by civil servants pushing for long-standing changes.

He also warned that a by-election in his Hull East seat, which he won with a majority of 3,920 in 2024, could be vulnerable to Reform UK.

Despite the growing unease on the Labour benches, the Government is expected to press ahead with legislation, insisting the reforms are essential to prevent further delays and restore confidence in the criminal courts.