Labour MP says Starmer 'should be ashamed over scrapping jury trials
A Labour MP has told Sir Keir Starmer he should be 'ashamed of himself' over his plans to scrap jury trials. Karl Turner, a former barrister, said removing the right to a jury trial in some cases is 'not something the Labour Party believes in', saying that Justice Secretary David Lammy has 'fallen for the civil servants' trick'.Mr Lammy, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, wants to set up so-called 'swift courts' in England and Wales, where cases will be heard by a judge alone. He has argued the action is necessary to slash the Crown Court backlog, which has nearly hit 80,000 cases. The Kingston-upon-Hull MP broke the party whip for the first time since becoming an MP in 2010 to vote against the proposals. Mr Turner was the only Labour MP to vote against the proposals, but said he is confident of getting enough party support to defeat the proposals if legislation is brought forward later this year.'I was absolutely stunned by this policy. I texted Keir and said to him he ought to be ashamed of himself. I'm completely ashamed of David Lammy,' Mr Lammy told Times Radio. Karl Turner, a former barrister, said removing the right to a jury trial in some cases is 'not something the Labour Partybelieves in' Justice Secretary David Lammy, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, wants to set up so-called 'swift courts' in England and Wales, where cases will be heard by a judge alone Mr Turner said he texted Sir Keir Starmerhe telling him he should be 'ashamed of himself' over his plans to scrap jury trialsHe continued: 'Lammy is the Justice Secretary who's fallen for the civil servants' trick.'Every single justice secretary for the last two decades has been asked by officials to do away with some jury trials, but David Lammy is the fool who fell for the trick.'We are absolutely seething with the Government, with the Prime Minister and with David Lammy.'I've said to the Prime Minister, I want to see him face to face on this single issue, and I expect him to instruct Lammy to stop.'The Conservatives used their opposition day in the House of Commons on Wednesday to call for the proposals to be rejected, but lost by 182 votes to 290. Mr Turner said Sir Keir was bringing forward a policy which 'as a former human rights lawyer he ought to be raving mad about'.'The truth is that a single judge will have to go away and decide the reasons and write those reasons down ... which is not a short process.'Every single barrister in the criminal justice system is saying it's a bad idea and it won't work.'Mr Turner told Sky News he does not expect to lose the party whip but admitted he does 'not care' if he does.Under Mr Lammy's plans, defendants will lose the right to choose a jury trial in a crown court if they are charged with 'either way' offences which, if they are convicted, carry short prison sentences.Instead, cases will be overseen by a panel of newly empowered magistrates if there is a 'likely' sentence of up to two years in jail - or a sole judge in a new crown court bench division if they would face a three-year term.Judges will also sit alone in complex fraud trials, which require specialist knowledge and expertise to unpick.Only crimes carrying a punishment of more than three years will be put to a jury in a crown court.It means that while rape cases will be heard by a jury, some offences including sexual assaults, stalking and sharing indecent images may not.The ability to appeal a magistrates court verdict to a crown court will also be limited.Five years ago, Mr Lammy wrote that 'criminal trials without juries are a bad idea'.But he told MPs last month that his reforms are now 'desperately needed' as victims face 'agonising delays' in the system, with the crown court backlog projected to reach 100,000 by 2028. The measures follow a review into the justice system conducted by retired senior judge Sir Brian Leveson. The Government has yet to bring legislation forward.Mr Turner said he hoped he would be supported by enough Labour rebels to vote the proposals down.'If they're daft enough to put this legislation forward ... I'm confident we'll defeat it. I think there are enough others,' he said.'This is not a Labour Party thing, doing away with the right to elect to a jury trial is not something the Labour Party believes in.'I don't know what Keir Starmer believes in. If he believes in this idea, I'm afraid I'm ashamed of him.'A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said:' Victims are facing an unacceptably long wait for justice after years of delays in our courts. This government is determined to change that.'That is why we are combining bold reforms, record levels of investment and action to tackle inefficiencies across the system - so victims and survivors see their cases heard sooner and get the justice they deserve.'Taken together, these measures will ensure the most serious cases are prioritised and continue to be heard by a jury, while reducing unnecessary delays that leave victims waiting for far too long.'
