Jess Brown-Fuller says government is ‘throwing the baby out with the bathwater’ over jury trials reform

Jess Brown-Fuller, MP for Chichester and Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Justice, has spoken out against government plans to restrict the right of individuals to access trial by jury during a Conservative-led debate in the House of Commons.

The debate focused on proposals put forward by Labour to address the record backlog in the Crown Courts, which included the suggestion of removing the right to trial by jury for offences carrying sentences of less than three years.

In a debate marked by rare unity between members of the opposition benches and some on the government benches, MPs piled in against the proposals, which have been widely opposed by members of the legal profession. Jess Brown-Fuller echoed these concerns, arguing that the government has failed to set out plans to address the root causes of the Crown Court backlog. The backlog currently stands at just under 80,000 cases, with hearings now being scheduled as far ahead as 2030.

Jess speaking in Parliament

Jess also pressed the government on its failure to publish an impact assessment of the proposals, with serious doubts raised about whether they would reduce the backlog without additional measures. She highlighted several potential efficiencies elsewhere in the court system, including prisoner delivery contracts, court sitting days, and IT systems.

After the debate, Jess Brown-Fuller MP said:

“Our courts are at breaking point, with the backlog now reaching close to 80,000 cases and hearings being scheduled as far ahead as 2030. At the heart of this debacle are the victims, denied justice and forced to relive their trauma for years to come when all they want is to move on.

“The government has recognised this crisis, it is impossible to ignore, but they have arrived at entirely the wrong solutions. Their plans to reduce the right to a jury trial ignore the vast issues that still exist within the system.”

“This will not address empty courtrooms, unused sitting days, unenforceable prison delivery contracts, or wretched IT systems. It is like buying a car that will not run and deciding to spend all your time and money on a new paint job before opening the bonnet. Completely nonsensical.”