David Lammy’s Courts and Tribunals Bill passes second reading in Commons

Politics
11 Mar 2026 • 4:18 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

image is not available

  • The Courts and Tribunals Bill has successfully passed its second reading in Parliament, despite significant opposition from some Labour backbenchers.
  • The proposed reforms include limiting jury trials to cases with a likely sentence of three years or more, with these instead being heard by a single crown court judge.
  • Labour MP Charlotte Nichols spoke publicly about her experience of being raped, accusing the government of 'weaponising' victims' experiences to push through the changes.
  • The Bill passed with 304 votes to 203, though 10 Labour MPs voted against it and 90 did not record a vote.
  • Justice Secretary David Lammy argued the Bill is crucial to address rising court backlogs, warning that without action, the backlog could reach 200,000 cases in a decade.

IN FULL