The most really dismal aspect about the debate today is the way some conflate delay on rape trials with juries when the two are unconnected. They are willing to sacrifice the democratic right to trial by jury on a false premise. Delay is the enemy of rape victims not juries.
At our peril, should we dissociate the criminal justice system from the ordinary citizen who are proud of British Justice. Juries reflect the life experience of ordinary citizens far more than summary justices or judges. This this is an appalling measure & no MP should support it
Nightingale Courts, extending Court sitting time, providing for more judge sitting time. Dealing with prison transport delays. This would all help remove delays for rape and owl trials without sacrificing juries which is an undemocratic proposal not in any manifesto.
The reduction of Jury trials is not a feminist issue. It is a bogus argument. The delay is caused by under investment. It is disgraceful that rape and all trials are delayed unduly but that is not the fault of juries. There are good proposals to deal with this problem.
Ps Listening to debate on the bill to reduce the right to Jury trial I am dismayed by failure of some female MP’s willing to sacrifice that right as responsible for delay in rape trials when that is the wrong target. The delay is caused by lack of available court time not Juries.
Juris have refused to convict whistle blowers to do justice whereas a narrow judiciary will slavishly enforce an unfair prosecution juries will resist. This is not a left of centre measure. It is a step towards the right. Labour MPs should resist this unpopular proposal. 3/ end
It is demonstrably untrue that juries cause undue delay. As specialist commentators have said the delay is caused by lack of sitting days, privatisation of prison, prison transport and general under funding of the CJS. Transferring delay to lower Court is foolish & pointless. 2/
I hope @UKLabour MP’s will defend the jury system today. The proposal is a slippery slope on the way to destroy the peoples right to take part in their own judicial system. It is an undemocratic proposal. Juries predate universal suffrage. They have resisted unjust prosecutions1/
We desperately need to restore Britain’s defences to deter aggression. I speak from a left of centre point of view. We can do this without breaking fiscal rules and generate massive activity in the economy leading to growth and a virtuous economic circle.
mintedlaw.wordpress.com/2026/03/05/w...
really liked the recent article by James Holland and rather than reply in a thread thought I would write this. 👇
mintedlaw.wordpress.com/2026/03/05/w...
think this article by James Holland is important. I think it should be discussed widely. Please help by sharing it. 👇
This is an excellent article by the historian James Holland, which makes the case powerfully how we can successfully fund the regeneration of the UK defence industry and armed services. I hope all political parties pay attention to this before it is too late.
open.substack.com/pub/james194...
Reminder that the US military budget is larger than the military spending of the next nine largest countries combined.
Over half goes to private defense contractors.
This is the military-industrial complex Eisenhower warned of — on steroids.
1. Thread 🧵
Freedom of Movement wasn’t just a policy.
It was a simple freedom: the ability to say yes.
• Yes to a job.
• Yes to love.
• Yes to a new life in another country.
When that freedom disappeared, something subtle but important changed.
Pretty funny that Michael Gove is dunking on me now he’s editor of the Spectator to promote its ‘bias-free’ reporting when as a politician he wouldn’t answer any of my press inquiries on the massive Brexit fraud he oversaw as Vote Leave’s co-convener
From FT comments
I’ve spent years, decades, obsessing over the Bush Administration’s Iraq WMD lies, writing about them, debunking them.
I can think of no lie about Iraq WMDs told by Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld et al that comes even close to the enormity and absurdity of this lie from Donald Trump.
Did you watch Dirty Business? I can't believe how much water companies have gotten away with. They're putting profit before public health - it’s a scandal and the Government MUST take action! Sick of sewage? Add your name to the petition today: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/pr...
As @robfordmancs.bsky.social has demonstrated labour has lost far more from its left in chasing so-called hero voters on the right who are Reform adjacent. The thought of Reform winning is genuinely chilling. I hope labour adjust because I am worried about a progressive split and a reform win.
But at a time when Russia is invading Europe and the US is causing conflict all over we need defensive solidarity. If NATO fails it needs to be replaced by something similar amongst the sane countries.
My only major problem with the Greens (so far) is that they want to withdraw from NATO. Seems like a ridiculous idea
It would be nice if the Greens talked about green issues rather than trying to outdo George Galloway.
Man I guess Iran had a unreacted copy of the Epstein files.
Once again, a single cartoon tells more truth that the entire US Congress.
Thanks to Rick McKee for making our current situation easy to understand.
Chris Murphy: "It's just so disgusting to listen to the president be waxing poetically about the drapes he's buying while there are six Americans who are dead. There are six families who are about to bury their children because of a war of choice that no one in this country wanted, an illegal war."
Today I could no longer predict with confidence U.K. support. Starmer has quite rightly recognised that unlike 9/11 there is little or no legal justification for Trump’s war & no end game plan. I was proud of GB support for US post 9/11. Now today I am proud of HMG refusal to support Trump’ war.End
I did not used to feel this way about the special relationship. I was in US on 9/11 & was asked in a bar what would U.K. do. Without hesitation I answered ‘oh we will be at war alongside you within hours’. I recall how relieved & touched the rest of the circular bar reacted to my confidence, but 2/
One other thing, and I am sorry if this seems a tad over emotional, but Trump’s insulting remarks towards U.K. & allied serviceman who answered US art.5 request post 9/11 has enraged me & others more than Americans can perhaps grasp. Many have family who served bravely & can’t get past this. 1/
Newspapers that told their readers austerity, Brexit, Johnson & Truss would be brilliant are attacking the British Prime Minister for not unquestioningly following a lunatic President into an illegal attack. And on social media, he gets attacked from the other 'side' for doing the precise opposite!
I am not sure under scrutiny that Green support at this level will be sustainable. On defence dismantling GB nuclear capability, legalising hard drugs even with worthy mitigating measures plus the cost of Green economic policy may prove hard to survive a robust election campaign. It will be tough.
