# Burnham kills Starmer's jury trial cuts > Justice secretary Alex Norris reverses controversial plans to strip jury trials, bowing to outcry from lawyers and MPs. - Title: Burnham kills Starmer's jury trial cuts · The Independent - Summary: Justice secretary Alex Norris reverses controversial plans to strip jury trials, bowing to outcry from lawyers and MPs. Justice secretary Alex Norris has… - Keywords: andy burnham, alex norris, keir starmer, jury trials, criminal justice, court backlog, labour government, david lammy, karl turner, law society, politics, news - Source: The Independent — https://independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/burnham-starmer-jury-trials-labour-b3060841.html - Published: 2026-10-03T23:01:52+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: andy burnham, alex norris, keir starmer, jury trials, criminal justice, court backlog, labour government, david lammy, karl turner, law society, politics, news ## Burnham reverses jury trial cuts Justice secretary Alex Norris has scrapped controversial plans to curb jury trials across England and Wales, reversing a major policy from Sir Keir Starmer's leadership. ## Lammy's radical plan to cut trials Former justice secretary David Lammy had proposed cutting thousands of jury trials to tackle court backlogs, reserving them only for murder, rape and serious offences. ## Outcry from lawyers and MPs The proposals sparked fierce opposition from MPs, lawyers and campaigners, who condemned them as madness and contrary to Labour values. ## Norris hears strength of feeling Norris said he decided to change course after hearing the strength of feeling on the proposals, allowing the government to reduce backlog faster with less structural change. > I have heard the strength of feeling on the proposals for increasing the number of judge-alone trials in the crown court and have made the decision to change course. ## Only fraud trials affected now Under the new plan, only some fraud and financial offences will be heard before a judge alone without a jury, the Ministry of Justice said. ## Norris on justice delayed Norris said the government inherited criminal courts on the brink of collapse with victims waiting years for trial, and remains committed to bringing down the backlog. > Justice delayed is justice denied, and I am committed to maximising efficiencies in our system alongside record investment. ## Burnham's pattern of reversals This is the latest reversal of a Starmer policy by Andy Burnham. Last month he made the early release scheme more restrictive, and last week raised the prospect of a second Brexit referendum. ## Karl Turner welcomes the U-turn Barrister Karl Turner, whose Labour whip was suspended after criticising the plan, welcomed the decision and thanked the prime minister for his support during his campaign. ## Law Society backs the reversal Law Society of England and Wales president Mark Evans said too much time was wasted on the proposal while court backlogs remained unacceptably high, and called for investment in infrastructure and legal aid. > We welcome the government's decision to step back from some of its proposed changes to jury trials that risked fairness and public trust. ## Magistrates courts face new strain The Ministry of Justice will also remove the right to choose Crown Court jury trials for either-way offences, shifting cases to magistrates' courts, which the Criminal Bar Association warns are already overburdened. ## CBA warns of 25,000 cases shifted The Criminal Bar Association warned the proposals will shift twenty-five thousand cases a year, including five thousand five hundred jury trials, to magistrates unprepared for complex assaults, sexual assaults and child abuse cases. ## Conservatives claim victory but criticise Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy declared it a victory for those defending jury trials but condemned shifting cases to magistrates, noting eighty-one thousand cases are stuck in Crown Court with no commitment to increase court sitting time. > This is a major victory for everyone who fought to defend trial by jury, and Conservatives led that fight from day one. ## Key takeaway Justice secretary Alex Norris has scrapped plans to cut jury trials across England and Wales, reversing a major Starmer policy after pressure from lawyers, MPs and campaigners.