The prime minister’s spokesperson is right that “only by using a combination of reform, investment and efficiency, can we hope to turn the tide on the backlog and deliver the faster and fairer justice the victims deserve” in the criminal courts (Labour lawyers ‘blocked’ from briefing MPs on jury trials overhaul before vote, 9 March). But curtailing the right to jury trial will have a minimal effect on the backlog.
Jury trials are not the cause of the backlog. Furthermore, the government’s proposals will disproportionately impact Black complainants, witnesses and defendants.
The random selection of jurors from local communities ensures that they are far more likely to reflect the cultural heritage of people appearing in court.
In 2025, there were only five circuit judges who identified as Black or Black British. Curtailing jury trial is bound to add to what David Lammy described in 2017 as a “chronic trust deficit” towards the criminal justice system.
Nic Madge
Retired circuit judge, St Albans, Hertfordshire
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