Lords reject changes to jury trials
The House of Lords has again rejected government plans to limit the right to trial by jury.
Peers voted against the move by 163 to 115, a majority of 48.
The proposals form part of the controversial Criminal Justice Bill. The defeat is another setback for the government following last night’s Lords defeat of planned reforms to the NHS.
The Bill was sent back to the House of Commons, where MPs have insisted the jury trial proposals be included.
Under the government’s plans some judge-only trials would be introduced for fraud cases, or cases where a jury may be “nobbled”.
Peers have also hit out at proposals to end the “double-jeopardy” rule, when someone cannot be tried twice for the same crime.
Apart from very rare exceptions a Bill has to be approved by both Houses of Parliament before it can gain Royal Assent and be placed on the statute book.
Peers will hold another debate and vote on Thursday, the last day of the parliamentary session.
If the Bill is again rejected by the Lords, ministers will have to start again from scratch.
Tory and Liberal Democrat peers argue that there is widespread public support for jury trials, while the government insists changes are needed to tackle a growing problem of fraud and cases that are too complex and lengthy for many jurors.
