Burnham scraps jury trial curbs with no plan for 80,000-case backlog

Prime Minister Andy Burnham signalled on 31 July 2026 he would scrap inherited plans to halve jury trials — the main strategy for clearing nearly 80,000 pending court cases. Former justice secretary David Lammy's reforms projected 20% shorter hearings. No alternative backlog strategy has been articulated. The courts and tribunals bill's fate remains unclear.