David Vance SubstackRead More
Ending 800 years of the right of free men and women to a jury trial by their peers is something that the authoritarian thugs in Government absolutely relish. Justice Minister David Lammy has now declared his well trailered intention to end Jury Trials for many. Magna Carta is being erased in front of our eyes and we cannot let this stand.
Cases where the likely sentence is three years’ imprisonment or less will be heard by a single judge, who would determine both guilt and sentencing. This includes a range of indictable offences (those serious enough to potentially go to Crown Court) that fall below this threshold, such as certain assaults, thefts, and drug possession cases. Additionally, complex and lengthy fraud or financial crime trials—often bogged down by technical evidence—would also bypass juries. Even worse, as the Free Speech Union has made clear, those facing criminal charges over social media posts, would go straight to a Judge to determine their guilt or innocence. Given how woke so many Judges have become, this is frightening.
Put bluntly, Lammy is effectively dismantling a 800-year-old pillar of British justice, in the name of expediency. This really isn’t modernisation; it’s a cynical erosion of democratic safeguards. This is a fundamental assault on the core of British Justice being led by the Justice Minister
Juries will remain for the very worst crimes like murder, rape, GBH with intent, and major trafficking—but only if they pass a nebulous “public interest” test. So there is no certainty that ANY specific crime would get a Jury. In David Lammy’s mind, this is all about speeding up cases and
Now even some on the Labour benches have expressed alarm at this move by Lammy. Conservative Shadow Secretary Robert Jenrick was on the money here!
Destroying our BASIC RIGHT to a Jury Trial moves the UK closer and closer to a tyranny and yet sections of the media remain mute about it. That’s why it is all the more important that we raise it here.
