Stop the removal of jury trials from Crown Court criminal cases — 18 signatures. Status: rejected.
Reject proposals to remove jury trials from Crown Court cases. Maintain the right to trial by jury for all defendants facing serious criminal charges in Crown Court. The backlog crisis must be solved through proper funding and resources, not by dismantling fundamental rights established since 1215.
Trial by jury is a cornerstone of British justice dating back to Magna Carta. The government's proposals would remove juries from 75% of Crown Court cases, leaving defendants tried by judges alone for offences carrying up to five years imprisonment. The judiciary lacks diversity, only 12% are from ethnic minorities and 1% are Black - raising serious concerns about fairness. The court backlog is caused by underfunding and closures, not juries. Removing this fundamental right is dangerous & unfair
View this petition on the official UK Parliament website