While I spent years in the police force across several Constabularies, including the Metropolitan Police, I saw the justice system at its strongest and its weakest. Too often, delays, bureaucracy and under-resourcing under the previous government put cuts above justice. That frontline experience shapes my view today.

The Victims and Courts Bill seeks to improve how victims are treated and to modernise court procedures to deliver faster, fairer justice.

Through speaking with victims across the Forest of Dean and in conversations with experts and the general public, I hear mistruths time and time again. When it comes to discussions that affect liberty and victims' experience of justice, I believe it is vital to set the record straight.

Perception: Abolishing jury trials undermines justice.

Reality: Currently, justice is denied daily due to delays. Over 20,000 victims have already been waiting more than a year for a trial, with many facing far longer waits. During that time, evidence deteriorates, memories fade, and victims and witnesses withdraw.

I saw how time sacrificed justice for victims, and for many, caused them even more prolonged torment. I fully support the measures the government is taking to ensure victims receive the justice they deserve, delivered when it is needed.

Perception: Abolishing jury trials will make it easier for criminals to get off scot-free.

Reality: Criminals are already getting away with it because of inaction. The government inherited a system where offenders are spending Christmas at home with their families, not just this year, but year after year, while cases crawl through the courts.

I believe wholeheartedly that justice must be delivered swiftly—for victims who deserve closure, and for offenders, for whom timely punishment is a core part of accountability.

Ending jury trials means offenders feel the full force of the law sooner, so no one falls through the cracks of an overburdened justice system.

Perception: Magistrates cannot deliver true justice without a jury.

Reality: Magistrates already hear the vast majority of criminal cases; they are experienced, legally trained, and embedded in the communities they serve.

I saw for myself how frequently defendants opted for jury trials, not because their case demanded it, but because delay worked in their favour. Dragging out proceedings increases the likelihood of witnesses disengaging, evidence weakening, and cases being dropped altogether.

Perception: The Labour Government is trying to cut corners in the justice system.

Reality: The previous Conservative government paused the recruitment of magistrates, and we lost 10,000 of them. The consequences were entirely predictable: an exploding backlog and nearly 80,000 criminal cases awaiting hearing in the Crown Court.

This is not about cutting corners. It is about rebuilding capacity, restoring credibility, and putting victims back at the heart of the justice system.

As someone who has stood with victims in their toughest moments, I cannot accept a system that tells them to wait indefinitely while offenders exploit delay.

The cost of doing nothing is paid by victims every single day, and we have a duty to put victims at the heart of justice.