Bridgwater MP Sir Ashley Fox has spoken out in Parliament against Government proposals to curtail the right to trial by jury, warning that the plans risk undermining a cornerstone of England’s criminal justice system without addressing the real causes of court delays.
Speaking during a debate on jury trials, Ashley Fox made clear that he does not agree with proposals to remove jury trials for cases likely to result in sentences of three years or less.
Ashley said that trial by jury is an ancient right and the very essence of the criminal justice system, adding that its removal would mark a significant shift in the balance of power between the citizen and the state. He also raised concern that, when combined with proposals for digital ID, the direction of travel reveals an increasingly authoritarian attitude from Government.
While acknowledging the serious backlog in the Crown Courts, Ashley Fox challenged the Lord Chancellor to explain why jury trials were being blamed for delays when there is no clear evidence that removing them would solve the problem. He asked for any evidence underpinning the policy to be published as soon as possible.
Ashley Fox also highlighted Government figures showing that the Ministry of Justice has the highest sickness absence rate across Whitehall, averaging 10.7 days per staff member, more than 30 per cent higher than the civil service average. He argued that tackling staffing and efficiency issues within the courts would free up tens of thousands of working days and help reduce the backlog without undermining the principle of a fair trial.
Commenting after the debate, Ashley Fox said, “I do not agree that the Government should curtail our rights to trial by jury. Trial by jury is an ancient right in England and the foundation of a fair criminal justice system. There is a crisis within the criminal justice system, but it was not caused by jury trials, and it will not be fixed by removing them. If the Government is serious about reducing backlogs, it should focus on improving efficiency within the court service, not weakening fundamental rights.”
Ashley Fox confirmed that he will vote against the proposals and will continue to argue for reforms that improve court capacity and efficiency while protecting the right to a fair trial.
