The court delays crisis

When the Labour government came to power in 2024, it faced a crisis in the criminal courts, with ever-longer delays and a growing backlog of cases.

The Ministry of Justice's budget is now one third higher in real terms than in 2019, but according to the latest figures, crown court cases that are yet to be heard reached a record high of 78,329.

In October, the Justice Secretary David Lammy promised extra funding to increase the number of days that English and Welsh courts will sit next year.

But is throwing money at the problem enough? How can the courts service be improved, and should jury trials be limited to help clear the backlog?

Also in the programme: Protests in support of the banned group Palestine Action could result in trials for as many as 2100 people - so how do courts deal with a sudden influx of cases? And are UK laws fair to football fans?

Presenter: Dr Joelle Grogan Editor: Tom Bigwood Producers: Ravi Naik and Charlotte Rowles

Contributors: Claire Waxman, Victims Commissioner designate, Riel Karmy-Jones KC, Chair of the Criminal Bar Association of England and Wales, Dr Steven Cammiss, Associate Professor in Law at the University of Birmingham, Professor Geoff Pearson, Professor of Law, University of Manchester.