Rob Rinder has divided fans after sharing his view on the UK Government “scrapping” jury trials, describing juries as “a guarantee of equal justice for all” and warning that ending them would “endanger” the public’s freedom.
The TV judge’s statement comes as Justice Secretary David Lammy proposes a major overhaul that would significantly restrict the right to a jury trial for many serious offences in England and Wales.
The ambition is to tackle the record backlog of nearly 80,000 Crown Court cases, with some hearings currently listed as far ahead as 2029.
A leaked Ministry of Justice document reveals plans for sweeping reform to the jury system, sparking alarm among legal experts and civil liberties groups.
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Rob Rinder described jury service as “a guarantee of equal justice for all”
| CHANNEL 4Under the proposals, juries would be used only for the most serious offences, such as murder, rape and manslaughter, while thousands of other serious cases would instead be decided by a single judge.
The plans also include doubling magistrates’ sentencing powers from one year to two, pushing more cases into courts where juries are not used.
In the leaked memo, the Justice Secretary argued there is “no right” to a jury trial, only a right to a fair trial, insisting the reforms would not undermine defendants’ protections.
The Government is expected to outline the proposals soon, though a Ministry spokesperson says no final decision has been made.
Rob Rinder is not a member of any political party and has ruled himself out of running for political office
| CHANNEL 5Mr Rinder wrote on X: “The right to a jury trial in the most fundamental criminal cases is a guarantee of equal justice for every one of us.
“If a Government cuts that right instead of funding the system, it isn’t reform, it’s endangering the freedom of us all.”
Viewers quickly weighed in on the debate.
Many supported the barrister’s concerns. “Time for everyone to say ‘Enough is enough!’” one user wrote, while another said: “Some so-called ‘small’ crimes have devastating, long-lasting impacts on victims. This ruling feels like a slap in the face. What message does it send to perpetrators?”
Another commented: “If properly funding our judicial system isn’t a priority for this government, that’s a dereliction of duty.”
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The right to a jury trial in the most fundamental criminal cases is a guarantee of equal justice for every one of us. If a government cuts that right instead of funding the system, it isn’t reform it’s endangering the freedom of us all.
— Rob Rinder (@RobbieRinder) November 25, 2025
A fourth questioned: “Is Lammy allowed to do this? I don’t think he is. So how is he getting away with it?”
Another joked: “Can’t AI provide equal justice for all?”
There were also concerns over the validity of British constitutional protections. One person wrote: “My understanding is that trial by jury is embedded in our constitution?”
However, not everyone agreed with Mr Rinder. One user argued: “It’s doubtful that jury trials ‘guarantee equal justice for everyone’—they often favour people who can afford clever lawyers.”
Another challenged him directly: “What would you cut to fully fund the justice system, including prisons?”
A third added: “Have you ever sat on a jury? Someone literally said, ‘Can we hurry up—guilty or not, I’ve got to get home.’ It’s not as infallible as it seems.”
Legal bodies, including the Criminal Bar Association, have condemned the plans as a threat to civil liberties and public confidence, arguing the backlog stems from years of underfunding, not from the jury system itself.
Opposition MPs have similarly accused ministers of eroding fundamental safeguards instead of fixing long-standing failures in the justice system.
This isn’t the first time the TV judge has weighed in on the political climate.
In October, he posted an emotional statement following the terror attack at a Manchester synagogue.
Judge Rinder is a British reality court show where criminal barrister Robert Rinder presides over small-claims cases in a studio courtroom
|Radio Times
Taking to X, Mr Rinder wrote: “On the holiest day of the year, we are attacked at a Manchester synagogue.
“Our children walk to school behind barbed wire protected by guns. Yet some still answer this atrocity with ‘what about…’
“This is my country, the sanctuary my grandfather found after surviving the Holocaust, promising freedom under the rule of law.
“Today I pray for the victims, thank the brave who responded and wonder if that promise is fading. A community this small cannot stand alone. If you believe in Britain (wherever you’re from & whatever your faith) you must stand with us.
“Many Jews cannot imagine a future here and history tells us what follows when that happens.”
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