Britain scraps heavily criticised plans to curb jury trials after backlash

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1. 2h ago

   UK Government Drops Controversial Plans to Curb Jury Trials

   Prime Minister Andy Burnham has abandoned controversial government plans to strip defendants of the historic right to trial by jury in less serious criminal cases. Announced on Sunday, the reversal follows fierce backlash from lawyers and politicians who criticized the proposed justice reforms. Ministers originally floated the curb to address mounting pressure on the legal system, which included nearly 81,000 cases awaiting trial by jury in Crown Courts across England and Wales as of June. Despite the policy U-turn, officials maintain that court backlogs will still fall.

   Why it matters

   The dropped policy was a holdover from the administration of Keir Starmer before Burnham assumed the role of prime minister in July. The legal system has faced severe strains, illustrated by prisoners being released early to prevent overcrowded jails amid a wider criminal justice crisis. Scrapping the jury trial restrictions preserves a foundational element of the British criminal justice system.

   What is confirmed

   • Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced on Sunday that Britain will scrap plans to remove the right to trial by jury for defendants in less serious criminal cases.
   • The case backlog awaiting trial by jury in Crown Courts in England and Wales reached nearly 81,000 in June.
   • Andy Burnham became prime minister in July, succeeding Keir Starmer.
   • Alex Norris stated that court backlogs will still fall despite the jury trials U-turn.

   What to watch next

   • Further government announcements on how ministers intend to reduce Crown Court backlogs without restricting jury trials.
   Sources used for this update (15)

   1. reuters.com — Britain scraps heavily criticised plans to curb jury trials after backlash
   2. theguardian.com — Ministers drop plans to cut jury trials in England and Wales after outcry
   3. BBC — Burnham scraps controversial plans to curb jury trials
   4. Bloomberg.com — UK Government to ‘Change Course’ on Plan to Curb Jury Trials
   5. Financial Times — Andy Burnham reverses much of plan to scrap jury trials
   6. The Independent — Court backlogs will still fall despite jury trials U-turn, Alex Norris says
   7. The Independent — Burnham scraps controversial Starmer plan to axe jury trials
   8. www.irishtimes.com — Britain scraps heavily criticised plans to curb jury trials after backlash – The Irish Times
   9. www.cnbctv18.com — Britain scraps heavily criticised plans to curb jury trials after backlash - CNBC TV18
   10. www.globalbankingandfinance.com — Britain scraps heavily criticised plans to curb jury trials after
   11. srnnews.com — Britain scraps heavily criticised plans to curb jury trials after backlash - SRN News
   12. www.straitstimes.com — Britain scraps plans to curb jury trials after backlash
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