JUSTICE opposed this bill in its entirety.
The bill never became law. It was blocked in the House of Lords in March 2007. Former JUSTICE vice-chair, the late Lord Kingland said in the debate “… jury trial has been a central component in the conduct of all serious criminal trials for about the past 700 years. Its contribution to the preservation of the liberty of the individual, and to the legitimacy of Government, is quite incalculable.”
JUSTICE Briefing – House of Lords, Second Reading – March 2007
JUSTICE Briefing – House of Commons, Second Reading – November 2006
Links
JUSTICE press release – 21 March 2007 – ‘JUSTICE welcomes Lords vote to save jury trial’
The bill’s passage through Parliament