Recommendation 52

The inclusion of the right to trial by jury in the Bill of Rights would have no obvious legal significance. Its proposed inclusion appears to be symbolic. During the pandemic, the Government suspended jury trials before the Crown Court on the grounds of a public health emergency, which led to inevitable delays to justice. If the British Bill of Rights contained specific protections for the right to trial by jury, the Government may be open to challenge if they seek to reduce the scope of jury trials, or suspend jury trials, in the future. (Paragraph 221) 84 Human Rights Act Reform