Pod Save the UK Will cutting juries fix our maggot-ridden courts?
Dec 4, 2025
Join Liz Sayce OBE, a seasoned disability expert, as she uncovers shocking failures in the carers' allowance system that left many unknowingly in debt. Liz highlights systemic issues and calls for urgent reforms to protect vulnerable carers. The conversation also dives into the controversial proposal to cut jury trials for minor crimes, raising questions about fairness and public trust in the judicial system. With a mix of policy insight and gripping anecdotes, this discussion reveals the complexities of justice and support for those in need.
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Judge-Alone Trials Proposed To Clear Backlog
- David Lammy proposes judge-alone trials for cases with likely sentences under three years to clear Crown Court backlog.
- The policy risks eroding jury safeguards and public confidence even as delays and backlogs worsen.
Diversity Gap Between Judges And Juries
- Judges remain overwhelmingly white while juries draw from broader society, affecting perceptions of fairness.
- Replacing juries may increase miscarriages of justice and weaken checks on judicial bias.
Courthouses In Disrepair: Seagulls And Maggots
- Law Society respondents reported courts closing because dead seagulls and maggots were in buildings' insulation.
- The report found a £1.3 billion bill for outstanding court repairs driving delays and closures.