Justice Cannot Wait: The Liberal Democrat Plan to Fix Our Broken Courts and Save the Jury Trial -Update

The British justice system, a pillar of our democracy for centuries, is being pushed to the point of collapse. Today, the Crown Court backlog stands at a staggering 80,000 cases. This is not merely a dry statistic on a Whitehall spreadsheet; it represents thousands of victims left in a traumatic limbo, witnesses whose memories fade over years of waiting, and defendants denied their fundamental right to a timely trial.

"Trial by jury is a right that the Government should not remove." Gideon Amos MP

​Under the current Labour government, the proposed solution is as radical as it is dangerous: a plan to "slash" the number of jury trials. At the same time, the country continues to grapple with the toxic legacy of Conservative mismanagement that hollowed out our legal infrastructure for over a decade.

​The Liberal Democrats say, enough. We do not need to scrap our constitutional rights to fix the backlog. Instead, we need to super-charge our courts.

​Protecting Our Fundamental Liberties

​The right to be tried by a jury of one’s peers is a cornerstone of British liberty, ensuring that justice is administered by the community, not just the state. Yet, Justice Secretary David Lammy has described jury trials as a "peculiar way to run a public service."

​This language is deeply concerning. Juries are not a "peculiar" inconvenience or an administrative bottleneck; they are the ultimate safeguard of fairness and a check against the power of the state. Jess Brown-Fuller MP, the Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson, has led the charge against these proposals, writing directly to the Justice Secretary to express the party's grave concerns.

​“David Lammy’s plans to slash jury trials are an insult to victims left waiting for justice and will do nothing to tackle the spiralling backlog. Jury trials are a cornerstone of our justice system and a fundamental safeguard of fairness and liberty.” — Jess Brown-Fuller MP

​The Liberal Democrat Solution: The "Two-Trial" Court Day

​While the government looks for shortcuts that undermine citizen rights, the Liberal Democrats have proposed a pragmatic, evidence-based reform to increase capacity without cutting corners.

​Currently, Crown Courtrooms sit for an average of only 3.2 hours a day. This is an absurd waste of public resources at a time when the backlog is at record levels. Our plan would transition select Crown Courts to a "Two-Trial" system, maximizing the use of our existing buildings.

​Morning and Afternoon Sessions: Moving from a single, interrupted midday session to two distinct trial blocks per day. This shift would nearly double the active sitting time in participating courtrooms, allowing the wheels of justice to turn twice as fast.

​Support for Professionals: By structuring the day more efficiently, the plan provides legal professionals with more protected, predictable time for case preparation, reducing the burnout that is currently draining the profession.

​“After years of Conservative mismanagement, the courts need serious, evidence-based reform that will fix the broken system, rather than headline-grabbing shortcuts," "Our proposals would improve efficiencies and give listing officers the flexibility to list more cases in a shorter time.” - Jess Brown-Fuller MP

​Ending the Cycle of Neglect

​To truly fix the system, we must address the systemic failures that allowed the backlog to balloon in the first place. The Liberal Democrat strategy includes a raft of reforms to tackle the root causes of delay:

​Ending "Contract Failure": We must renegotiate failing private contracts for prisoner transportation. Companies like Serco have overseen failures that cause the loss of entire court days because defendants simply aren't delivered to the dock on time.

​Fixing the Crumbling Estate: Trials are routinely cancelled due to flooding, broken heating, or unsafe ceilings. We would cancel planned real-terms cuts to the Ministry of Justice capital budget to ensure our courts are fit for the 21st century.

​Investing in the Workforce: A court is only as good as the people within it. We are calling for an immediate uplift in legal aid fees to ensure a sustainable future for the criminal bar and to address the chronic shortage of judges.

​This proposal sits alongside the Liberal Democrat commitment to restore the 2011-12 level of legal aid funding, ensuring that these extra hours are staffed by qualified professionals who are not being priced out of public service.

​A Better Way Forward

​Justice delayed is justice denied. But the answer to a slow system is not a less fair one. The Liberal Democrats are the only party offering a path that clears the backlog while fiercely defending the right to a jury trial.

​We are calling for an emergency package to double court capacity and treat this crisis with the urgency it deserves. It is time to stop the "headline-grabbing shortcuts" and start the hard work of rebuilding a justice system that works for everyone. 

​"Juries are a fundamental part of our justice system. Taking a sledgehammer to them will not address the court backlog. Investment in crumbling buildings and doubling sitting days will ensure that these waiting lists come down so that all victims get their day in court." Dr Danny Chambers