Thousands of lawyers urge Keir Starmer to rethink plans to cut jury trials

Government facing prospect of most serious backbench revolt yet over proposals for England and Wales

Plans to curtail the number of jury trials in England and Wales have been described as “unpopular, untested and poorly evidenced” by thousands of lawyers who have written to the prime minister.

The letter to Keir Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions, from 3,200 lawyers, including 300 senior barristers, comes as his government faces the prospect of one of its most serious backbench revolts since coming to power.