Sir Keir Starmer could water down proposals to limit jury trials following a backlash from MPs, peers and senior legal figures, it has been claimed.
Whitehall sources suggest Government officials have been discussing changes in a last-ditch attempt to stave off a bruising defeat in the House of Lords.
Justice Secretary David Lammy is understood to be pushing ahead with the plans in their current form, The Guardian has reported.
The plans currently include establishing a new criminal court where judges will hear cases on their own in an attempt to cut the courts backlog.
“We’ve had U-turns in recent months on inheritance tax for farmers and business rates for pubs, there is a risk that the next one is going to have to be jury trials,” a Government source told The Guardian.
Another insider said: “Ministers are confident they can get the package through the Commons, even with the opposition of some high-profile Labour MPs. The real battle lies in the Lords.”
However, Labour is not only battling with the upper chamber over its controversial proposal.
Veteran Labour MP Karl Turner threatened to trigger a by-election by making a “principled point” over the “ludicrous proposals”.
David Lammy and Sir Keir Starmer have faced a huge backlash from MPs and peers
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PA
Mr Turner, a former barrister, won his Kingston upon Hull East constituency by a majority of just 4,000 votes over Reform UK.
However, with a dramatic shift in the polls since the 2024 General Election, Reform UK would now be expected to comfortably win the seat.
Mr Turner also opened up about his own experience of being accused of a crime.
“Many years ago, I dealt in antiques,” he told The Sunday Times.
Under the plans, defendants would lose the right to a jury trial for ‘either way’ offences, which would instead be heard by the intermediate courts | Getty
“I bought items that turned out to be stolen unbeknown to me. It can happen. It did with me.
‘”I was arrested, interviewed by the police, charged and remanded in custody for court.
“On the advice of my legal team, I was advised – on the strength of the evidence – to elect for a jury trial.”
Mr Lammy, who once warned scrapping jury trials would be a “bad idea”, is looking to stop defendants who are likely to receive a sentence of three years or less appearing in front of a jury trial.
In 2002, while working as an antiques dealer in Hull, Karl Turner was charged with handling stolen goods | PA
A new judge-only swift court would be set up to hear cases without juries, and magistrates would be allowed to sentence people to a maximum of 18 months, up from the 12 months they can hand down now.
The Justice Secretary suggested the change would help the Government clear a backlog of 80,000 cases in a decade.
He told The Guardian: “It has been happening in Canada for decades. It is very normal.”
However, the Ministry of Justice is not expected to completely U-turn on its initial proposal.
Justice Secretary David Lammy is still working on the proposal
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GETTYSources have suggested the retreat would take the policy closer to Brian Leveson’s proposed changes.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch welcomed rumours of yet another Labour U-turn.
“If Keir Starmer had a backbone he would stand up to his Justice Secretary and cancel this mad idea to scrap jury trials,” Mrs Badenoch said.
However, a Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “Only reform, combined with investment, will deliver swift and fair justice for victims.
“That’s why we are creating new swift courts, without magistrates and within the crown court, as well as investing millions in legal aid, the courts and increasing sitting days.”