Why A Former Labour Councillor's Acquittal By A Jury Is Not 'Two-Tier Justice'

A former Labour councillor who called for far-right activists’ throats to be cut at an anti-racism rally in the wake of the Southport murders has been found not guilty of encouraging violent disorder.

Ricky Jones was acquitted this morning following a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

A video showing Jones addressing crowds on Hoe Street in Walthamstow, east London, on August 7 last year went viral on social media after the protest, which had been organised in response to plans for a far-right march outside Waltham Forest Immigration Bureau.

The councillor, who was suspended by his party in the wake of the incident, said: “They are disgusting Nazi fascists. We need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all.”

He also drew his finger across his throat as he spoke to the crowd.

Jurors deliberated for just over half-an-hour and found him not guilty on Friday.

But, despite what some very senior Conservatives would have you believe, this is not an example of so-called “two-tier justice”.

Shadow housing secretary James Cleverly was the first Conservative to condemn the outcome of the case, which he said was “unacceptable”.

“Perverse decisions like this are adding to the anger that people feel and amplifying the belief that there isn’t a dispassionate criminal justice system,” he posted on X.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp went even further by comparing Jones’ acquittal with the case of Tory councillor’s wife Lucy Connolly, who was jailed for 31 months for a tweet she posted during last year’s Southport riots.

She called on people to “set fire to all the... hotels [housing asylum seekers]... for all I care”.

Philp said: “It is astonishing that this Labour councillor who was caught on video calling for throats to be slit is let off scot-free, whereas Lucy Connolly got 31 months prison for posting something no worse.

“The development of two-tier justice is becoming increasingly alarming. It cannot have been a question of uncertain evidence as the man was on video clearly calling for violence.

“The government must come forward with plans to ensure justice is handed out equally, regardless of the background or views of the perpetrator - but as far as I can see this Labour government seems to be quite happy with two-tier justice.”

However, Philp failed to mention the key difference between both cases: Connolly pleaded guilty to inciting race hate and was therefore sentenced by a judge, whereas Jones denied the charge he faced and was found not guilty by a jury of his peers after due consideration of the evidence against him.

It is also unclear what Philp is proposing governments should do in such cases. Is he suggesting that ministers should have the power to intervene when a jury returns a not guilty plea they do not like?

Attempts by HuffPost UK to clarify with the Conservatives what he meant have so far been met with silence.

Interestingly, Robert Jenrick, the not-normally-silent shadow justice secretary, has remained silent on the Ricky Jones case.

Could this possibly be because, barely a month ago, he stood up in the Commons to defend jury trials amid fears Labour is trying to restrict them.

Jenrick said: “Jury trials have been a central part of our constitution for centuries – in Magna Carta, indeed before it. They are a gift that we have given to the world. 

“For too many on the government benches it seems they want to scrap jury trials ... because they don’t trust the British public’s instincts on justice. They say judges know best, we say the public know best.”

Social media users – including former Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg  – were also quick to point out the bizarre logic being pursued by Cleverly and Philp.

Regardless of his not guilty verdict, it seems unlikely that Jones will be allowed back into the Labour Party any time soon.

The internal investigation into his behaviour is still ongoing, and party sources pointed to the statement they put out at the time of his suspension: “This behaviour is completely unacceptable and it will not be tolerated.”