Trial by jury to go

The Amsterdam Treaty contains provisions for the legal system known as Corpus Juris to be introduced throughout the EU. Under the provisions, cases where the sentence can be up to seven years are to be heard by Courts "consisting of professional judges, excluding simple jurors and lay magistrates". In other words, Habeas Corpus and Trial by Jury - rights enjoyed by Britons since Magna Carta - are explicitly to be abolished.

Corpus Juris can be introduced by Qualified Majority Voting, so Brussels can introduce it even if we were to totally refuse it by a 100% majority in Westminster. Needless to say, no such thing will occur - the Brussels Occupation Government headed by Blair and Co. are actively participating in the stripping away of our freedoms.

Under proposals unveiled by Home Secretary Jack Straw in April, laws will be pushed through Parliament this autumn which will prevent thousands of defendants electing for a Crown Court trial rather than a hearing before magistrates.

The measure is being dressed up as a cost-cutting exercise aimed at saving the taxpayer around £70 million per annum (compare this figure with the billions spent on membership of the EU circus).

The reality is that neither Straw nor Blair have any choice. They are committed to the Amsterdam Treaty and all its provisions. But it is disgraceful that they should seek to pull the wool over the eyes of the electorate by pretending, yet again, that a Brussels diktat is a purely domestic decision.

Corpus Juris will set up a European Public Prosecutor with over-riding criminal law jurisdiction throughout the EU, initially on matters of fraud against the EU budget but eventually covering all criminal activities.

The proposals are being drawn up by EU Commission (XX DG) which details an EU criminal code and code of procedure. Article 26.1 is the provision with eliminates Trial by Jury. The full text is available on-line. It's all there in black and white - TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IT!