Clause 45 — Meaning of "qualifying trigger"

Part of Bill Presented – in the House of Commons at 6:33 pm on 9 November 2009.

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Photo of Dominic Grieve Dominic Grieve Shadow Secretary of State (Justice) 6:33, 9 November 2009

The hon. Lady will be aware that, only two weeks ago, there was a case in which a jury came to precisely that conclusion under the existing rules and reduced the offence of murder to manslaughter on the ground of sexual infidelity as part of the provocation. Will she identify from where the outcry came, as a result of that difficult decision for the jury, to suggest that it has undermined confidence in the criminal justice system? Why is she suggesting that we should not leave to members of the public sitting on juries the difficult task of making a judgment in these matters? What is the basis on which the Government wish to withdraw that right from the jury?