David Lammy has announced sweeping reforms to the criminal justice system, restricting jury trials for most offenses in England and Wales amid a case backlog expected to top 100,000 by 2028.Under these changes, crimes like burglary, drug dealing, theft, fraud, and complex financial offenses will be tried in new "Swift Courts" by a single judge, while the right to appeal will become subject to court approval.The reforms drew strong criticism from legal bodies and political figures including
Nigel Farage,
Robert Jenrick, and
Barbara Mills KC, who warned of potential threats to public liberties and the professional development of junior barristers.