UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Justice Secretary David Lammy plans “swift courts,” replacing juries in many cases to cut court delays, while pledging £550m for victim support.
As reported by The Independent, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has announced the introduction of “swift courts,” where judges will deliver verdicts in thousands of trials.
Mr Lammy announced major reforms to the criminal courts, ending juries in cases with likely sentences of three years or less.
The announcement follows former Lord Chief Justice Sir Brian Leveson’s warning that the criminal courts are “on the brink of collapse,” with no “silver bullet” to fix the crisis.
What did David Lammy announce about jury trials and swift courts?
David Lammy stressed that juries remain “fundamental” as he outlined measures to reduce their use in criminal trials.
He told Parliament that court backlogs have created a crisis of confidence in the justice system, and he is considering Sir Brian’s recommendations to limit the right to a jury trial.
Revealing his criminal court changes in the Commons, Mr Lammy said,
“I will create new swift courts within the crown court with a judge alone deciding verdicts in trial of either way cases with a likely sentence of three years or less as Sir Brian (Leveson) recommends.”
He stated,
“Sir Brian [Leveson] estimates that they will deliver justice at least 20 per cent faster than jury trials, and whilst jury deliberations remain confidential, judges provide reasoning for their verdicts in open courts, so this will hardwire transparency in our new approach.”
Mr Lammy said,
“I’m clear that sitting days in the crown court and magistrates courts must continue to rise, and my ambition is to continue breaking records by the end of this Parliament.”
The justice secretary added,
“But as Sir Brian has made clear, investment is not enough. The caseload is projected to reach 100,000 by 2028 and without fundamental change, could keep rising, meaning justice will be denied to more victims, and trust in the system will collapse.”
He told MPs,
“It’s desperately needed, Mr Speaker, because this government inherited an emergency in our courts.”
Mr Lammy said,
“A record of rising backlog, currently of 70,000 cases, victims facing agonising delays, with some trials not listed for years, all the while, defendants bide their time.”
The deputy prime minister continued,
“The guilty plea rate has decreased every year since the year 2000 and in the year to June, 11,000 cases were dropped after a charge because victims no longer supported or felt they could support the case. Behind The statistics are real people.”
What did opposition parties say about David Lammy’s jury reform plans?
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch warned that the Government’s new jury reforms would be harmful.
She said,
“They don’t know how to clear the backlog, so they’re going to do something that’s really silly and very harmful for our country. They should stop this plan.”
Ms Badenoch added,
“This is an ancient right that we have had in this country for centuries. We should not be getting rid of jury trials. Labour just need to pull their finger out. Everything they touch is a shambles.”
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said David Lammy and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had previously opposed limiting jury trials.
He told MPs,
“His past is catching up with him, because the best opponent of the Justice Secretary’s plans to curb jury trials is the Justice Secretary himself.”
Mr Jenrick added,
“In 2020 he said, ‘Criminal trials without juries are a bad idea. You do not fix the backlog with trials that are widely perceived as unfair’. In 2017, in his report into prejudice in the criminal justice system, he found juries, and I quote, ‘act as a filter for prejudice’. But now he’s become Justice Secretary, he’s scrapping the very institution he once lauded. Which is it? Will the real David Lammy please stand up.”
He continued,
“And what about this? ‘There should be a right to trial by jury in all criminal cases’. Any ideas, Mr. Speaker? Who else but the Prime Minister this time. Does this Government have no shame?”
The Liberal Democrats said David Lammy’s claim that his jury reforms have no alternative is not true.
Jess Brown-Fuller, the party’s justice spokesman, told the House of Commons,
“The announcement today of the government’s plan to reduce the use of trial by jury would be an historic upheaval of our court system, with profound consequences. But the Justice Secretary has not stood up and argued in favor of judge only trials on their own terms.”
She stated,
“Instead, he has made arguments that there is no alternative. That is simply not true. We have heard many within the legal profession argue that removing trial by jury is a misdirection for the multitude of problems that are actually underlying the backlog.”
Ms Brown-Fuller added,
“These problems caused by years of conservative mismanagement have resulted in countless wasted hours of sitting times and victims failed time and time again.”
She highlighted staff shortages and “crumbling court infrastructure” as major issues in the justice system.
Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin warned that David Lammy’s proposed jury reforms could politicise the judicial system.
The MP for Runcorn and Helsby, stated,
“Does the Secretary of State not agree that his policy to abolish trial by jury in all but the most serious of cases undermines the whole foundation of law and order in this country and risks the further politicisation of our judicial system, with judges acting alone as the state and no longer being held to account by the people in the form of a jury?”
What did Labour MPs say about the Government’s jury reforms?
Labour MPs have raised concerns that the reforms could undermine people’s legal protections.
The MP for Eltham and Chislehurst, Clive Efford, warned that the plans may deepen divisions within the legal system.
Stella Creasy said,
“I think many of us will worry whether the justice secretary’s prescription is the solution because as he points out jury trials account for less than 3 per cent of cases.”
Leeds MP Richard Burgon stated that the reforms “send a chill through my heart.”
Mother of the House Diane Abbott warned that the judicial reforms could deny justice to the poorest.
She added,
“The entire House is concerned about victims. But the entire House is also concerned about men and women who are undoubtedly suffering miscarriages of justice if the right to trial by jury is curtailed.”
Baroness Helen Newlove, the victims’ commissioner, highlighted gaps in services, saying adequate support is crucial to prevent victims from withdrawing from the justice process.
What are the latest figures on the criminal case backlog?
The Ministry of Justice reported that nearly half of the backlog involves violent or sexual offences, with just 3% of criminal cases heard by a jury.
As of March 2025, the number of cases waiting to be heard in the Crown Court (which deals with serious offences) reached a record 76,957. By late 2025, this figure had risen to almost 78,000 cases. This is more than double the pre-pandemic level, and the backlog continues to grow.
The backlog in the magistrates’ courts (which handle the majority of criminal cases) is even larger. The number of outstanding cases there reached 310,304 as of March 2025.
