A significant number of Labour backbenchers criticised the reforms which propose to limit jury trials.
David Lammy’s reforms of the courts system have been supported by MPs at their first Commons hurdle, despite accusations from his own backbench that he is using victims as a “cudgel” to push them through.
Charlotte Nichols spoke publicly for the first time about being raped as she argued “experiences like mine feel like they’ve been weaponised and are being used for rhetorical misdirection”.
The Labour MP hit out at the Deputy Prime Minister’s plans to limit jury trials to cases with a likely sentence of three years or more, as MPs debated the Courts and Tribunals Bill.
A significant number of Labour backbenchers criticised the proposed reforms on Tuesday, including Karl Turner who branded the changes “unworkable, unpopular, unjust and unnecessary”.
Mr Lammy, who is also the Justice Secretary, had pleaded with MPs to support the Bill, warning there is an urgent need to address rising court backlogs.
The Commons voted 304 to 203, majority 101, to pass the Bill at second reading.
