Burnham drops jury trial cuts, leaving 80,000-case backlog unaddressed

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