Letter from 39 backbenchers threatens rebellion over proposal to expedite court backlog in England and Wales
Keir Starmer is facing the threat of a backbench rebellion over plans to reduce the number of jury trials in England and Wales as dozens of Labour MPs signed a letter describing the move as “madness”.
The justice secretary, David Lammy, announced plans earlier this month that will take thousands of trials away from the jury system to be heard instead by judges and magistrates.
The government and the retired judge Sir Brian Leveson, who was commissioned to come up with proposals to change the justice system, argue that a record backlog in the courts is failing victims, witnesses and defendants.
A group of 39 Labour MPs have now signed a letter urging the prime minister to reverse the plans, which they describe as “an ineffective way of dealing with the crippling backlog in cases in our criminal justice system”.
