# Britain scraps jury trial plans after backlash

> Britain drops jury trial restrictions following lawyer and politician criticism.
- Title: Britain scraps jury trial plans after backlash | Shortify
- Summary: Britain drops jury trial restrictions following lawyer and politician criticism. Britain abandoned plans to limit jury trials for minor crimes after backlash…
- Keywords: britain, jury trials, crown court, magistrates, justice minister, keir starmer, andy burnham, news, world, scraps, jury, trial
- Source: The Straits Times — https://straitstimes.com/world/europe/britain-scraps-heavily-criticised-plans-to-curb-jury-trials-after-backlash
- Published: 2026-10-03T23:08:29+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: britain, jury trials, crown court, magistrates, justice minister, keir starmer, andy burnham, news, world
## Government drops jury trial plans
Britain scrapped plans to limit jury trials for less serious crimes after strong criticism from lawyers and politicians.
## Early prisoner releases
Hundreds of prisoners were released early to prevent prisons from becoming full as part of a criminal justice crisis.
## Backlog of jury trials
Nearly 81,000 jury trials were pending in England and Wales at the end of June, almost double the 2020 figure.
## Increased magistrate powers
The government increased magistrates' sentencing powers for minor offences, raising concerns about court delays.
## Legal backlash
Lawyers criticized the move for curtailing defendants' right to trial by jury of their peers.
## Government response
The government maintained plans for complex fraud trials to be heard by judges alone, despite a 2026 review rejecting the idea.
## Key takeaway

Britain abandoned plans to limit jury trials for minor crimes after backlash from legal experts and politicians.