Starmer indicates he will not U-turn on plan to scrap some jury trials

"The prime minister, who is on a visit to China, said tackling a backlog that was forcing victims of violence against women and girls to lose faith and leave the justice system was a personal fundamental argument of principle, and suggested he would resist intense pressure from legal experts, rival MPs and members of his own ranks to row back on plans to limit jury trials."

"I've been working with victims of crime for a very long time, and they have to wait too long for justice, he said. He added: I have given my word to campaigners on violence against women and girls, and to victims, that I will do everything within my power to make sure they get justice, and they have to wait so long they're not getting justice, so many of them fall away, pull out"

Keir Starmer will not U-turn on plans to introduce judge-only criminal trials to tackle an estimated 80,000-case crown court backlog. The backlog is causing some victims of violence against women and girls to wait until 2030 for trial dates, leading many to withdraw from the justice process. Starmer describes the reform as a fundamental matter of principle to deliver timely justice for victims. Campaigners, dozens of Labour MPs and peers, and legal experts warn the reforms undermine the jury principle and will not work. An Institute for Government report estimates judge-only trials would save less than 2% of crown court time. Justice secretary David Lammy is understood to be advancing the proposals.

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