Andy Burnham, appointed as the United Kingdom’s seventh prime minister in 11 years, has pledged to bring renewed hope and a different approach to governance. However, the country’s justice system, particularly the Ministry of Justice, faces significant challenges that could impede swift progress.
At the end of last year, the Crown Court backlog reached a record 80,203 outstanding cases, stretching some victims’ wait times for justice potentially until 2030. Legal aid deserts—areas where legal assistance is largely unavailable—are expanding, adding further strain to vulnerable populations. The prison service is also under intense pressure, prompting emergency early release measures. Meanwhile, the backlog of asylum appeals surged to 87,450 cases as of March, representing a 72 percent increase from the previous year and more than a sevenfold rise compared to 2016 levels.
Lucy Frazer, a senior adviser at Legora and a former solicitor-general and prisons minister, highlighted the potential for technology to address many of these deep-rooted problems. Drawing from her experience, including the introduction of an online civil court seven years ago, Frazer noted that digitization has already demonstrated its ability to streamline justice processes. For instance, an online divorce application system reduced errors in application forms from 40 percent to below 1 percent, while enabling some claims to be submitted and processed in under two hours—drastically faster than the traditional paper-based system, which took up to 15 days.
Current government initiatives have begun incorporating technology, with the Ministry of Justice launching an AI action plan aimed at reducing administrative burdens. The appointment of Kanishka Narayan as the first AI minister to attend cabinet meetings reflects the growing emphasis on artificial intelligence in public service delivery. The Crown Prosecution Service has also indicated it will adopt AI ethically to improve efficiency.
Despite these efforts, Frazer argued that the scope of technological integration remains limited and called for a more ambitious approach. She suggested that advanced legal research tools could expand access to justice in underserved rural areas and assist self-represented litigants. Digital platforms could offer guidance on alternative dispute resolution in matters such as divorce and small claims. AI could support judiciary case management, freeing up court time, while streamlining immigration case monitoring through automated checklists and workflow management tools.
Moreover, Frazer advocated for a unified digital criminal justice system, which would enable seamless sharing of case files among the police, prosecutors, and courts. This integration could reduce data inconsistencies and duplication, enhancing coordination across agencies.
Acknowledging that many of these ideas have been discussed previously, Frazer emphasized that recent advancements in technology now make them more feasible. She also highlighted the importance of implementing proper safeguards to ensure ethical use. Ultimately, she concluded that harnessing technology presents a realistic opportunity to transform the justice system, improving service delivery not only in legal areas but also across government functions such as permitting, procurement, and social services.
With these developments, the new prime minister may be positioned to leverage technology to enact meaningful reform and fulfill promises of delivering hope and better governance nationwide.