Dear Keir, from one lawyer to another…

An open letter from APPEAL’s Co‑Director, Matt Foot, has been published in both the Islington Tribune and the Camden New Journal. In the piece, Foot challenges Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his support for removing the right to trial by jury, contrasting it with Starmer’s earlier career as a human‑rights‑focused defence barrister.

Foot reminds the Prime Minister of his past arguments championing jury trials as a vital protection against state power and institutional bias, principles he once defended robustly in legal writings and training sessions. He warns that curtailing jury rights risks deepening long‑standing issues within the magistrates’ courts, including discrimination and lack of community representation.

The full letter, appearing in both local papers, calls on Starmer to address the real causes of court delays, chronic underfunding and systemic neglect, rather than eroding fundamental rights.

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