The court delays crisis

Law in Action by BBC

Nov 12, 202527:35News & Politics

When the Labour government came to power in 2024, it faced a crisis in the criminal courts, with ever-longer delays and a growing backlog of cases. The Ministry of Justice's budget is now one third higher in real terms t...

Related Episodes

Continue listening to more episodes from Law in Action.

What are Blitz courts?

Jun 17, 2026 - 27:58

So-called blitz courts are being expanded across England and Wales. A number of courts across the two cou...

Political donations and the law

Jun 10, 2026 - 28:09

The Representation of the People Bill 2026 is in the King’s Speech which means it’s on the Government’s l...

Why were three teen rapists not given custodial sentences?

Jun 3, 2026 - 28:05

Note: this episode contains frequent references to rape, sexual assault and physical assault. There's bee...

The Renters Rights Act - In Detail

May 27, 2026 - 28:04

The Renter’s Rights Act came into force at the start of May, and it marked the biggest change to how priv...

How tough are the UK's asylum laws?

Mar 25, 2026 - 28:20

The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s Restoring Order and Control policy is underway. It's based - in part...

When is it legal to go to war?

Mar 18, 2026 - 28:12

Under international law, when can a country declare war on another? Was it legal for Israel and the Unite...

Is it legal for police to use live facial recognition technology?

Mar 11, 2026 - 27:37

The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood says she makes “no apology” for announcing the roll-out of Live Facial...

The plans to limit jury trials in England and Wales

Mar 4, 2026 - 27:33

The courts system in England and Wales is in an unprecedented crisis. The backlog has reached 80,000 case...