Overview
- An internal Ministry of Justice memo attributed to David Lammy proposes reserving juries for murder, rape, manslaughter and a narrow public-interest category.
- Most remaining cases would move to a new Crown Court Bench Division where a single judge tries offences likely to attract sentences of up to five years, with complex, lengthy frauds also eligible for judge-only hearings.
- Published estimates of the scope differ, with The Times’ reading suggesting about 75% of trials affected and Criminal Bar Association analysis putting the figure near 95% based on recent MoJ data.
- The government says no final decision has been taken as a Whitehall write-round continues, though primary legislation is being prepared for early 2026 and magistrates’ sentencing powers could be expanded.
- Leading legal bodies—the Bar Council, Criminal Bar Association and Law Society—oppose the plan as untested and damaging to public trust, and political reaction has sharpened as past pro-jury statements by Keir Starmer and Lammy resurface.