Jury Trials

Debate between Robert Jenrick and David Davis

Wednesday 7th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Robert Jenrick]

I will come to the hon. Lady in a moment, but I give way to my right hon. Friend.

[David Davis]

My right hon. Friend is being characteristically overgenerous to the Government when he talks about the requirement for modelling. This is not a “Mastermind” question; it is simple arithmetic. Three per cent of trials are by jury. If we do away with half of them, which is more draconian than even the Government are talking about, and there is a difference of 20%, the maximum difference it could make to the throughput of the court system is 0.3%. It will make no difference whatsoever to one of our most fundamental issues, yet it will throw away the most fundamental tenet of our justice system.

[Robert Jenrick]

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. That is why if the Government have a case, they should publish the evidence—