Courts and Tribunals Bill

Lord Sentamu Excerpts

Committee stage
Tuesday 10th November 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Sentamu (CB)]

My Lords, like the noble and learned Lord, Lord Leveson, I had not intended to speak. Commonwealth countries have been referred to. I originally come from Uganda, and I did a bit of law there. Although Uganda follows the British system to the letter, it chose not to have jury trials. All the trials are done by judges, and in more serious cases the judge sits with two assessors. I have not seen any failure to deliver justice properly. The amendment from the noble Lord, Lord Carlile, is a halfway house, in which trial by jury is still affirmed but, in some cases, “judge alone” would be the order of the day. The same would be true for some senior magistrates’ cases.