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Court backlog will take decade to fall to pre-Covid levels despite overhaul, says MoJ
Health•February 24, 2026 at 12:47 PMNational

Court backlog will take decade to fall to pre-Covid levels despite overhaul, says MoJ

By Jessica Elgot and Haroon Siddique•The Guardian - UK News

Justice secretary says only his measures will stop backlog in England and Wales from increasing exponentiallyThe backlog in criminal courts in England and Wales will take a decade to fall to pre-Covid levels despite radical changes including curtailing jury trials, according to figures from the Ministry of Justice.The justice secretary, David Lammy, said the government was determined to press ahead with the jury trial changes despite a potential rebellion from Labour MPs. He took aim at critics, who he said “sounded quite patrician, quite old-fashioned, quite male”. Continue reading...

Justice secretary says only his measures will stop backlog in England and Wales from increasing exponentially

The backlog in criminal courts in England and Wales will take a decade to fall to pre-Covid levels despite radical changes including curtailing jury trials, according to figures from the Ministry of Justice.

The justice secretary, David Lammy, said the government was determined to press ahead with the jury trial changes despite a potential rebellion from Labour MPs. He took aim at critics, who he said “sounded quite patrician, quite old-fashioned, quite male”.

Continue reading...

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