Blunkett backs down over juries

Home Secretary David Blunkett has backed down on a key provision of his flagship Criminal Justice Bill in order to ensure it clears Parliament.

In a deal struck this afternoon with his Tory opposite number David Davis, Mr Blunkett agreed to delay the implementation of a measure to limit trial by jury in complex fraud cases.

The bill had been mired in deadlock on the final day before Parliament is due to break up ahead of next week's Queen's Speech, after Tory peers in the House of Lords made clear they were not willing to abandon their opposition to the fraud trial proposals.

The Home Office described the deal as "an honourable draw" which would allow 98.5% of the bill to go through as intended.

But Tories described it as a "major Government climbdown".

Under the deal, the provision to allow serious fraud cases to be heard by a judge sitting alone will remain in the bill.

But it will be subject to the passage of a parliamentary order approving its implementation, which will require debate and a vote in both houses.

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