Labour backbenchers appear once again on course to secure an embarrassing climbdown by the government.
Lammy and Starmer may be on course for yet another u-turn (Image: Getty)
Keir Starmer is on course for yet another humiliating u-turn after Labour MPs erupted with fury over plans to scrap jury trials in England and Wales. David Lammy’s scheme to undermine Britons’ historic legal rights is set to be massively watered down, according to fresh reports.
It comes after up to 60 Labour MPs threatened to rebel and kill the policy. Senior government figures are now examining whether to quell the rebellion by offering a major concession over the policy. This includes looking at whether two magistrates could sit alongside a judge to provide further oversight and balance in any conviction decisions.
Critics have accused Labour of eroding historic British rights (Image: Getty)
The proposal was first suggested in an official report by Sir Brian Leveson last year, which the government used a precursor to push its policy of scrapping juries.
An official told the Financial Times: “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.
“Going back to the Leveson proposals is where we would probably end up. And that would include having two lay magistrates sit with judges for trials.”
Reacting to the news that the government is now eyeing up yet another u-turn, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch thundered: “I hope these rumours of another u-turn are correct but I will believe it when I see it. If Keir Starmer had a backbone he would stand up to his Justice Secretary and cancel this mad idea to scrap jury trials.
“Conservatives believe trial by jury is a cornerstone of justice and we will fight to protect it.”
The Labour rebellion has been spearheaded by Hull MP Karl Turner, who this weekend threatened a by-election if Sir Keir and Mr Lammy don’t change course.
Labour MP Karl Turner has led opposition (Image: Getty)
The former solicitor general said he is “ashamed” of the PM, and demanded they “stop these ludicrous proposals and get on with the hard job of sorting out the criminal justice system”.
“I am able to say to the PM that I am ashamed of him and I am ashamed of David Lammy. The government must stop these ludicrous proposals and get on with the hard job of sorting out the criminal justice system — a system that has been badly underfunded by governments of all political persuasions for decades.”
It’s thought that former deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Mr Lammy’s predecessor, is also critical of the policy, though is yet to publicly put her head above the parapet.
Mr Lammy has largely insisted that the policy is being driven by a need to fix the ongoing backlog in the courts system. However last week his deputy Justice Minister Sarah Sackman admitted Labour would press ahead with the policy even if there was not a court backlog.
She told MPs: “People ask me — ‘Sarah, would you be doing this if there wasn’t a crisis in our courts?’ I say yes, because we need a better system where courts, not criminals, triage cases. One that makes better use of jurors’ time.”
