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The Times
March 8 2000
Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) Bill
Labour rebels fight changes to trial by jury
BY MELISSA KITE
THE Government suffered a blow in the Commons last night when 29 Labour backbenchers rebelled against its plans to restrict trial by jury.The rebel MPs voted against the Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) Bill, despite promises of possible concessions and a tacit agreement with the whips that they could abstain.
They warned the Government that it was alienating its heartland vote with the move to deny jury trial for middle ranking offences such as theft.
The Bill was given a second reading with a substantial government majority.
But the scale of the revolt signalled a further rebellion in the Lords, where an earlier version of the Bill was thrown out by peers just two months ago.
Bob Marshall-Andrews, the Labour MP for Medway, who led the rebellion, said afterwards: "We won the debate in spades. There is still deep unease in the party over this.
"We will send a copy of Hansard to every Labour member in the House of Lords to show how much we won the argument."
During a fraught debate, Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, was bombarded with objections from the Labour benches.
Lynne Jones, Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, said: "Does he not realise that when he introduces measures like this it is precisely the reason why so many Labour Party supporters and members are being alienated?"
Defending the changes, Mr Straw said that they were designed to make the justice system more efficient and would save £128 million a year.
"Too many defendants have been working the system," the Home Secretary said. "It cannot be right that we allow repeat offenders to demand full Crown Court trial for trivial offences which should be heard in the magistrates' court."
Mr Straw said that he had changed his mind about the controversial reputation clause, omitted from the amended Bill, following concern that it would favour the rich and famous. The new Bill had "strengthened safeguards", he said.
Mr Straw offered MPs opposed to the change the prospect that more of their concerns could be taken into account as the Bill made its way through Parliament. "The measure threatens no hallowed rights - it is just, fair and proportionate," he told the Commons.
But Mr Marshall-Andrews continued to insist that the Bill was a full frontal attack on civil liberties.
Gwyneth Dunwoody (Lab, Crewe and Nantwich) said: "I need to be convinced. Is this change being pushed through because it's going to save money, or because it will improve the law? I'm really not clear."
Warning of further resistence in the Lords, Edward Garnier, the Shadow Attorney-General, said that the Bill would be an "rotten albatross" around Mr Straw's neck.
"If we cannot knock it down here, even with the assistance of the many MPs opposite who know a just cause when they see one, we the opponents of this Bill from all parties look forward to its defeat in another place," Mr Garnier said.
Labour rebels who voted for the critical amendment saying the Bill failed to maintain the right to jury trial were:
Harry Barnes (Derbyshire NE), Tony Benn (Chesterfield), Andrew Bennett (Denton and Reddish), Michael Clapham (Barnsley W and Penistone), Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley), Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead), Jeremy Corbyn (Islington N), John Cryer (Hornchurch), Denzil Davies (Llanelli), Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich). William Etherington (Sunderland N). Mark Fisher (Stoke Central), Paul Flynn (Newport W), Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow), Kelvin Hopkins (Luton N), Alan Hurst (Braintree), Dr Lynne Jones (Birmingham Selly Oak), John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington), Kevin McNamara (Hull N), Alice Mahon (Halifax), Robert Marshall-Andrews (Medway), Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby), Brian Sedgemore (Hackney S and Shoreditch), Alan Simpson (Nottingham S), Dennis Skinner (Bolsover), Llewellyn Smith (Blaneau Gwent), Audrey Wise (Preston).
The tellers were: Harold Best (Leeds North West) and David Kidney (Stafford).
