Jon Kay and David Lammy on BBC Breakfast.

David Lammy has been reminded of the times he spoke out against scrapping jury trials – as he prepares to unveil plans to scrap jury trials in some cases.

The justice secretary was shown social media posts he made criticising the previous Tory government when they considered doing it to help clear a huge backlog in the courts system.

Lammy’s apparent hypocrisy was highlighted as he was grilled on BBC Breakfast by presenter John Kay.

Lammy will announce on Tuesday afternoon that jury trials for less-serious cases will be scrapped to speed up the courts system.

But Kay told him: “I just wonder what’s changed because we have a tweet here that you posted during the pandemic as the backlog was building up in the courts system, where you said: ‘Jury trials are a fundamental part of our democratic settlement. Criminal trials without juries are a bad idea’.

“What you were suggesting then was that ‘the government need to pull their finger out and acquire empty public buildings across the country to make sure these can happen in a way that is safe’.

“Why have you changed your mind so much that juries........

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