Making Juries Fairer

About six years ago, in my first foray into one of the party’s policy mechanism, I sat on the party’s crime policy working group. I was very conscious that I knew less than everyone else in the room and hardly said anything at all. But one thing I do remember asking about was why, when there was such a problem with people seeking to defer their jury service because they had been called at a time inconvenient to them, the system didn’t allow people to volunteer to do their service at a time that *was* convenient to them. There were a few nodding heads saying they thought that was a good idea, but nothing more was ever heard of it.

Until a few weeks ago, when I read the draft of the crime and justice policy paper going to this spring’s party conference - Together We Can Cut Crime. The policy aims to make some improvements to the working of the justice system (it’s actually really good – do have a look at it) and I thought I would try submitting my suggestion as an amendment to it.

To get an amendment on the agenda you have to get ten voting representatives at conference to support it, and so I sent out an email explaining my proposal and asking for support. I wasn’t sure if I would get any, or enough, and if I didn’t I agreed with myself that I would just leave the idea. I did get some back and when I added them up I discovered they came to exactly ten – no more, and no less! By the skin of my teeth it had enough support so I submitted it, but wasn’t really sure the Conference Committee would think it important enough to put on the agenda – especially when I saw that there were two other amendments proposed on some quite significant issues. Rather to my surprise the Conference Committee agreed pretty readily to put all three amendments down – so again it made it through! (I’m a member of the conference committee so didn’t say anything at all on discussion of this item).

And so to the debate in Conference last Saturday. No-one spoke against my amendment – apart from one line at the end of one other person’s speech asking conference to support it, no-one mentioned it at all apart from myself proposing it – and even Nick Clegg summing up for the FPC forgot to oppose it! The vote was extremely close and the chair called the vote as being against my amendment so it was lost. Very frustrating, after all that – but anyway, I still think it was a good idea – and if you’d like to be convinced too, take a look at my stunningly good speech proposing it!