Katherine White

Criminal Barrister at St John’s Buildings, Sheffield. All views are my own.

[Katherine White @katherine_hw]

🧵time

A family member asked me the other day about why criminal barristers were on strike. They didn’t understand it but we’re genuinely interested.

I tried to explain it to them and as I thought about it and gave them this example, I felt compelled to write it down.

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[Max Hardy @MaxJLHardy]

Here’s a panoply of experts and leaders speaking with massive collective experience and knowledge against futile and disastrous proposals. The government should take heed of the chide of the valkyries.

[The Bar Council @thebarcouncil]

Yesterday our Chair, Chair of the The Criminal Bar Association, and The Northern Circuit of the Bar North Eastern and South Eastern Circuit Leaders gave oral evidence to the Courts and Tribunals Public Bill Committee. In two 30-minute sessions, they laid out the Bar's opposition to the government's proposals, the issues with the modelling, and our alternatives to cut the backlog – including examples from different circuits.

Northern Circuit Leader Samantha Hillas KC explained to MPs: “The difficulty is that we don't necessarily accept the time saving or the [government’s] assertions as to the time savings.

"So, let's take at face value the assertion that there's a 20% time saving. That takes a 5-day case down to 4. But you've got Clause 5 [of the Bill], which says that the judge has got to produce a judgment as soon as is reasonably possible thereafter.

"When is that going to be written? That’s your fifth day, isn't it? Because that's what the judge is going to have to do on that day.”

Parliament will now break for the Easter recess and return on Monday 13 April when line-by-line scrutiny of the Bill by the Committee will begin. We have made a detailed written submission to the Committee.

(left to right on top picture) Riel Karmy-Jones KC and Kirsty Brimelow KC
(left to right on bottom picture) Claire Davies KC, Samantha Hillas KC and Caroline Goodwin KC

[Rebecca Paul MP @Rebecca_SPaul]

My favourite moment from yesterday.

@NECircuitleader giving the Minister a reality check on Labour’s nonsensical plans to limit jury trials to address the backlog.

[Peter Stefanovic @PeterStefanovi2]

"What we call 'minor offences', for most people would have a major impact on their lives"

Bolton MP @YasminQureshiMP on why she will not be voting for the Government's reforms to the justice system today, as they would reduce the number of jury trials 👏

[Chris Moran @ChrisMoran_101]

I have today left @UKLabour because of what @Keir_Starmer, @DavidLammy and @sarahsackman are doing.

I’m sorry @KarlTurnerMP and @alexsobel. I can’t share in the collective responsibility of these actions.

@TheCriminalBar, @BarristerSecret, @Kirsty_Brimelow.

[Joanna Hardy-Susskind @Joanna__Hardy]

🚨 Judge Only Trials 🚨

The law of unintended (👀) consequences.

An old-fashioned long thread.

And a prediction.

👇🏼🪡 🧵

[North Eastern Circuit Leader, Caroline Goodwin KC @NECircuitleader]

Please can all legal professionals, regardless of what area of law you do, sign the open letter to the Prime Minister so we can send a strong message to the government to rethink its approach to juries.

Signatures are needed by 9am on Monday 2nd March 2026.

[Joanna Hardy-Susskind @Joanna__Hardy]

I could literally reduce the Crown Court backlog in 9 steps starting tomorrow. And precisely none of it would involve tampering with jury trials.

[North Eastern Circuit Leader, Caroline Goodwin KC @NECircuitleader]

On Monday 10% of all available Crown courtrooms were shut.

On Tues & Weds it was 11%.

Yesterday 12% and today it’s 11%.

That’s 289 courtrooms left idle to save money.

Open up our courts and let juries in to deal with this backlog!

[North Eastern Circuit Leader, Caroline Goodwin KC @NECircuitleader]

Today's sorry statistic. Open the courts and let us reduce the backlog ...

[North Eastern Circuit Leader, Caroline Goodwin KC @NECircuitleader]

On a day in which there's an Opposition Day debate in Parliament opposing the restriction to jury trials 15% of all Crown courtrooms are arbitrarily shut.

[North Eastern Circuit Leader, Caroline Goodwin KC @NECircuitleader]

My first message below as Leader of the North Eastern Circuit.

We face enormous challenges over the next 12 months but I firmly believe if we work together, as a profession, we will overcome them.

Happy New Year Everyone!

[North Eastern Circuit Leader, Caroline Goodwin KC @NECircuitleader]

Congratulations to @Kirsty_Brimelow who begins 2026 as Chair of the Bar Council. I look forward to working with her in the year to come as we all face the challenges ahead.

[Karl Turner MP @KarlTurnerMP]

BREAKING: 38 Labour MPs sign open letter urging the PM to drop proposed plans to do away with some jury trials. I have pleaded with the PM not to march us all up the hill to be marched back down again. Many more MP’s, not on this letter, have said they will rebel if necessary!

[Lee Harris @LeeHarris]

This is utterly DAMNING for David Lammy.

"We are not looking to convict people as quickly as possible, we are looking for justice."

A Barrister clinically dismantles David Lammy's disgraceful decision to scrap jury trials.

Watch until the end.
It wont even fix the backlog.

[The Secret Barrister 🦋 @BarristerSecret]

Here is a list of reasons why some of my hearings and trials this year have been delayed and kicked off into the long grass, stuck in our record court backlog. Serious allegations which will now be tried *years* after the event. 🧵👇

[Times Radio @TimesRadio]

“It won’t cut the backlog. You can be sure of that.”

The government’s plan to scrap jury trials in an effort to reduce the backlog in the courts “is for the birds”, says barrister and former MP @Anna_Soubry.

[Times Radio @TimesRadio]

“Shame on him. Shame on him.”

Baroness Kennedy KC criticises justice secretary David Lammy for “perpetuating a myth” about the backlog of rape cases to justify reducing the number of jury trials.

@HelenaKennedyKC | @KateEMcCann

[Katherine White @katherine_hw]

A short note to David Lammy -

Junior criminal barrister over here - hi there

Let me give you a list of things that have delayed some of the jury trials I’ve been involved in.

(Hint if you don’t want to read on - none of them relate to jurors)