Justice minister Jake Richards previously slammed the “terrible idea” of scrapping jury trials as policy that “wouldn’t work”, despite now backing Lammy’s plans to get rid of them. Following in his boss‘s footsteps of a sudden change of heart…
In 2020, Richards blasted the proposals mooted by Robert Buckland, writing for LabourList:
“The proposed solution will not even solve the problem. The change may also lead to disastrous unintended consequences. Instead of weakening a key constitutional right, the government should do the hard work. We all have the right to be judged by our peers when the prospect of imprisonment from society is before us. To take that right away would be a wholly draconian act.”
Jury’s out on his thoughts now. He has a red box to worry about these days, after all…
