Vote down plans to scrap jury trials, Tories tell rebel Labour MPs
The Tories are urging Labour MPs to rebel against the Government's plans to axe thousands of jury trials
The Tories are urging Labour MPs to rebel against the Government's plans to axe thousands of jury trials, as Kemi Badenoch seeks to heap pressure on ministers over the controversial changes.
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The Conservatives will call a vote in the House of Commons on Wednesday over the plans, announced by Justice Secretary David Lammy last year in an attempt to cut down the crown court backlog.
Under the Government's large-scale reforms, juries would be removed from a number of trials in England and Wales.
Meanwhile the ability to appeal against magistrate court verdicts to a crown court would also be repealed.
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It comes as new figures in December indicated the crown court backlog has nearly hit 80,000 cases.
Current projections show it reaching 100,000 by the end of the decade if action is not taken.
The Conservatives argue that instead of getting rid of jury trials for some cases, the Government should instead fund more sitting days to reduce the backlog.
It has also expressed doubt over whether Labour's reforms will make any material difference to the backlog.
The Conservative opposition day debate motion that will be voted on by the Commons will claim that abolishing jury trials is "wrong" because they are a "fundamental part of our constitution and democracy".
Shadow justice minister Kieran Mullan said: "Calamity (David) Lammy is taking a wrecking ball to our justice system in a vain attempt to make up for Labour's disastrous mismanagement.
"Curtailing jury trials is an outright attack on the rule of law and the right to fair judicial process.
"Labour are trying to water down a core principle that has existed for more than 800 years - one that even David Lammy himself has previously called 'fundamental'.
"The Conservatives will always stand against such a naked assault on our democratic system, and defend this most critical of civil liberties against those who seek to weaken it.
"Labour MPs should show some backbone and stand with us."
An open letter said they were an "ineffective way of dealing with the crippling backlog".
Labour MP Karl Turner (Hull East), a former barrister who has led the opposition on the Labour backbenches, has also penned an early day motion noting "grave concern" at the planned changes.
It has been signed by a host of MPs, including Conservative former education secretary Sir Gavin Williamson, former Brexit secretary Sir David Davis and former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell.
It said there are "proper alternatives to put victims at the forefront of the justice system without attacking the fundamental right to trial before one's peers of twelve good men, women and true".