NEWS MONKEY: Juries On Trial

. Jack Straw is making excellent progress in clarifying the bureaucratic doublespeak of the Magna Carta. For too long the notion of "innocent until proven guilty" has been applied to people who turn out to be guilty, at considerable cost to taxpayers. Now these bogus justice seekers will lose their right to a jury. They will be tried by magistrates, who have a proven record in finding people guilty cheaply. Michael Howard can retire from the front benches with confidence, now his brain seems to function well in its new body.

TIM DOWLING