PETITIONRejectedPetition · petition.parliament.uk
Protect and maintain the current rights to trial by jury
The government is proposing to massively restrict the ancient right to a jury trial https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy7vdvrnnvzo Parliament must protect our current rights to jury trials. They have been part of UK life for over 800 years and are fundamental to a free and open society.
Last fetched 03 May 2026 · petition.parliament.uk
Signatures
12
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 12/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 12/100,000
Background
Jury trials provide one of the oldest and most important safeguards of individual liberty.
- They protect ordinary citizens from state power and overreach
- The reflect the judgement, values, common sense and conscience of the community, not those of distant elites and prevent professional bias
- They deter weak or vindictive prosecutions
- They bring a democratic element to the court room
- Where jury trials are abolished, show trials and political persecution follow