DAVID LAMMY’S planned changes to criminal courts in England and Wales could have a “far-reaching” impact on race relations, a cross-party committee of MPs warned today.

The justice select committee said the Deputy Prime Minister’s proposal to remove the right to elect for a crown court trial “has the potential to increase mistrust in the criminal justice system among the black community,” as black defendants are more likely to choose jury trials.

In 2022, 26 per cent of black defendants elected for crown court trial, compared with 15 per cent of white defendants.

Committee chairman Andy Slaughter said it was “shocking” that only 1 per cent of crown court judges are black, a figure unchanged since 2015.

The Labour MP called for a clear national target to achieve a representative judiciary by 2035.

The 109-page report also highlighted an “unintended consequence” of the proposed trial allocation process, where defendants with previous convictions would be more likely to receive a jury trial than those with a clean record, since prior convictions are an aggravating factor under sentencing guidelines, making longer and jury-eligible sentences more likely.

The Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association told the committee this differential impact would amount to “a penalty for being of good character.”

The committee also warned that the target of reaching 21,000 magistrates by 2029 was “unrealistic,” with past recruitment campaigns having “fallen far short” and retention remaining a “persistent challenge.”

Mr Lammy, who is also Justice Secretary, announced plans last December to transfer thousands of trials from juries to judges and magistrates.

The government is braced for rebellions when the Courts and Tribunals Bill returns to the Commons, with 38 MPs already having signed a letter urging the Prime Minister to reverse the plans.

Fiona Rutherford, chief executive of campaign group Justice, said: “It is deeply unfair on both victims and defendants that those with previous convictions are more likely to retain that protection than those with none.

“The government should drop jury trial cuts and turn to measures to actually improve the court backlog.”

The Ministry of Justice said the reforms, combined with “record investment and modernisation,” would “get cases heard faster, protect jury trials for the most serious crimes” and tackle the court backlog by the end of parliament.