Tuesday, December 2, 2025 |
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Did Magna Carta die in vain? |
The peace deal between King John and the barons has had its name taken in vain many times today. It did not create the right to trial by jury, as I write today: it was all about protecting the aristocracy from arbitrary rule by the king (who in any case tore it up soon after it was signed). But the right to a jury trial is an important guarantee of justice for the citizen, and has been for a long time, if not since 1215. I have written about my puzzlement, which seems to be shared with large numbers of Labour MPs, about how restricting jury trials is meant to clear the courts backlog. As Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow, said, if only 3 per cent of trials are currently heard in front of juries, reducing that number to, say, 1.5 per cent is hardly going to speed things up significantly. David Lammy ought to be worried about the lack of support for his plan from the Labour back benches. |
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| | Chief Political Commentator |
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| Chief Political Commentator |
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After which city is Venezuela named? |
Answer at the bottom of today's email |
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| Russian president says European demands for Ukraine peace deal are 'absolutely unacceptable' | |
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| Work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden told MPs that he was 'not ruling out anything' when asked if he was looking at cuts |
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| Rachel Reeves has been warned by the OECD that slowing productivity is partly due to fewer workers coming to the UK |
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What else you need to know today |
- Cyber attacks are among biggest risks to financial stability, warns Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England
- Andrew Marr counts himself lucky to have worked for Andreas Whittam Smith, who has died aged 88
- Labour MP Jess Asato has been drafted in to overhaul NHS protection from violence against women and girls – report by Millie Cooke
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What has become of the Labour Party in Scotland? |
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Anas Sarwar has gone from being a prospective Labour first minister to facing defeat by Reform. Sean O'Grady looks at the background to this turn of events... Read more |
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"At The Independent, we've always believed journalism should do more than describe the world – it should try to improve it.
This Christmas, we're asking for your help again as we launch our new campaign with the charity Missing People – the SafeCall appeal.
Every year, more than 70,000 children in the UK are reported missing. The misery that follows – for the child, for the family, for the community – is often hidden. Too many of these young people have nowhere to turn when they need help most. SafeCall will change that. Our goal is to raise £165,000 to help Missing People launch this new, free service – designed with the input of young people themselves – offering round-the-clock support, advice and a route to safety."
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The right to trial by jury is an important factor in the delicate balance between the power of the state and the freedom of the individual. The further it is restricted, the greater the imbalance. Despite the inevitable increase in costs, the Haldane Society urges that there be a right of trial by jury in all criminal cases |
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Keir Starmer, secretary of the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, in 1992 |
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Quiz answer: Venice. (Thanks to Councillor David Walker for pointing out that, in answer to yesterday's question, there is a third cabinet minister who returned to parliament after a sabbatical: Heidi Alexander, in addition to Douglas Alexander and Emma Reynolds | |
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