Styles, who is currently at the top of the UK album and singles charts, returned to the popular show as guest host.

He openly admitted how dull he had become during his recent hiatus.

The 32-year-old quipped that he is “tremendously boring” after keeping a low profile since his Love On Tour run of gigs came to an end in 2023.

He said: “I took up jogging. There’s nothing interesting about that.

HARRY STYLES JUST KISSED A MAN ON SNL AND JOKED ABOUT QUEERBAITING THAT WAS NOT ON MY 2026 BINGO CARD

— rose🌻 (@xxteamlmxx) March 15, 2026

“But because I’m me, people pretend to find that interesting. 
I don’t run to be interesting. I do it for the feeling it gives me, that runner’s high. It’s just amazing.

“Watermelon sugar high, runner’s high. And if that doesn’t do it for you, I also love ecstasy.

“As a British man who spent a lot of his life in the public eye, I can assure you, there’s something nice about being boring. It’s better than the alternative.”

Harry Styles addresses “queerbaiting” allegations during SNL opening monologue

At that point the image of a shocked Andrew in the back of a police car following his arrest last month appeared on the screen.

Styles also took aim at those who had accused him of “queer-baiting” in the past and his use of fruit as a metaphor for sex in song lyrics.

Speaking about his time off, Styles said: “I realised I’d spent half my life in music – touring, playing albums, and making songs about fruit that people think are about sex.

“I just really like fruit, guys. I like sex, too.

“People seemed to pay a lot of attention to the clothes I was wearing, and some people accused me of something called queer-baiting.

“But did it ever occur to you that… maybe you don’t know everything about me, Dad?”

On Friday, Styles claimed a number one chart double for the second time following the release of his new album, the Official Charts Company announced.

The 2026 Oscars featured surprise wins, emotional speeches and some comical moments as stars gathered for Hollywood’s biggest night.

The ceremony saw action thriller One Battle After Another win the most Oscars of the night with six wins, including best picture. But there were a number of historic moments – including Jessie Buckley becoming the first Irish star to win best actress.

And in a shock win amid tough competition from Leonardo di Caprio and Timothée Chalamet, Michael B Jordan took home the best actor prize – the sixth black actor to win in the Academy’s nearly 100-year history.

Follow the BBC’s ongoing coverage of the Oscars here.

Psychic Jessica Adams, who claims she predicted Covid-19, has issued predictions about Iran in 2026 and flagged a key date for major changes.

A psychic who alleges to have accurately foreseen the devastating Covid-19 pandemic and Donald Trump’s election victory has another ominous prediction – this time it pertains to Iran and the ongoing conflict the nation is entangled in with the United States and Israel.

Psychic Jessica Adams scrutinises astrological charts and celestial movements to forecast future events and has been known to achieve some uncannily precise results previously.

Adams claims she possesses intuitive abilities, which she credits for her notable reputation as a psychic.

Now, she has another prophecy for Iran in 2026, having previously issued the chilling warning that ‘the world map will be redrawn’ this year, reports the Mirror.

The ‘seismic’ Iran prediction for 2026

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In predictions posted on her website on January 12, 2026, Adams stated: “The Iran astrology chart shows freedom.”

Adams utilised Iran’s April 1, 1979 at 12:01 in Tehran astrological chart to formulate her predictions, as it proved accurate nine years ago when the psychic predicted the “slow rise of people power after 2020 in the country”.

For 2026, there’s one month that will stand out according to the leading astrologer, and that’s June. Adams notes: “It is possible to see that luck is with the families, with the history, heritage and culture of Iran – in June 2026. In fact, it’s at a twelve-year high.”

Why is the date and time of April 1, 1979, significant? While the time itself is averaged, the date marks when Ayatollah Khomeini proclaimed Iran an Islamic Republic. Using this chart to formulate her predictions, Adams “foresees the continued rise of people power in Iran”.

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In her enigmatic forecast, Adams has cautioned to “watch these dates with Iran” as she anticipates a major event will occur for Iran, specifically on July 26 this year, particularly relating to religion. “The end of Karma for world religion”, reveals the psychic.

Clarifying that “three historic cycles are ending this year” – specifically “the end of years of confusion for world religion on January 26, the end of heavy restrictions on world religion on February 14, and the end of karma for world religion on July 26” – Adams has predicted that significant changes are on the horizon for Iran.

The psychic further notes: “We’re also going to see an economic shock when Uranus goes to 27,28 Taurus in the Second House of sharemarkets and currency. That’s pretty close now, it will gather speed in March, April 2026. It’s going to Rock the Casbah.”

‘Total escape from reality of the current regime’

The psychic also analysed a modern 21st century astrology chart of Iran to make predictions about the country, revealing recent discoveries “like Neptune’s wife Salacia”. According to Adams: “She’s really important because she shows the total escape from reality of the current regime.”

On the surface, this forecast could have been alluding to the unexpected death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the US-Israel Operation Epic Fury after governing Iran with an iron fist for 36 years and six months.

His passing has sent shockwaves through the nation and triggered a substantial ripple effect on the administration and structural stability of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The astrologer said: “Salacia shows two worlds, neither of them real. This is not unusual with some religions. They bypass female equality, for example, or disappear into religious visions.”

Of the three dates the psychic highlighted to watch, the next significant one, July 26, is relatively near and according to Adams, it reveals “a three-way chapter close on a very, very long book”.

“It could not be better timing for Iran and that’s June 2026,” the psychic concludes.

While it remains to be seen whether Adams’ forecasts for Iran in 2026 will materialise, one thing is certain, transformation is approaching for this Middle Eastern nation, and rapidly.

Dressed in a red wig with heavy white make up, like the antagonist from the film, he could be seen playing table tennis with Chalamet in Marty Supreme, running across the stage of the Globe in Hamnet, in the car with Benicio del Toro in One Battle After Another and trying to get into the juke joint in Sinners.

The Hamnet star scooped the big prize in a historic triumph

Irish actress Jessie Buckley has etched her name into the history books after claiming the Academy Award for best actress in a groundbreaking moment for Ireland.

The 36-year-old has already secured a Bafta, Golden Globe and Critics Choice award for her portrayal of William Shakespeare’s wife in Hamnet during the 2025/2026 Awards Season.

Now, the Killarney-born star has completed the clean sweep, becoming the first Irish performer ever to claim the best actress Oscar.

In the film adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet, Buckley takes on the role of Agnes – historically known as Anne – Shakespeare’s wife, as the couple navigate the devastating loss of their son. The actress has previously described making Hamnet as a “life-changing experience” and expressed feeling “honoured” to receive her Oscar nomination in the Best Actress category.

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The County Kerry native continued her remarkable run through awards season last month when she picked up the Bafta for best actress for Hamnet, with industry insiders having strongly predicted her Oscar triumph. Buckley has previously revealed that the role sparked a “deep need” within her to become a mother.

Speaking to British Vogue, she revealed that portraying a character who had experienced the loss of a child fulfilled a “deep need” within her to “find” her own. Buckley married her husband in 2023, and the couple welcomed their first baby last year.

Earlier this month, she set the record straight about being a “lover of cats” after facing criticism from cat enthusiasts who were disappointed by her previous interview comments suggesting she disliked them. During an appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s American chat show, Buckley disclosed she had even auditioned for a feline role once, dismissing as a “misconception” any notion that she harboured animosity towards the creatures.

Hailing from Killarney, Buckley spent five years at an all-girls convent school before participating in the BBC talent competition I’d Do Anything in 2008, when she was just 17. The programme chronicled the hunt for a fresh face to portray Nancy in the West End production of Oliver! Buckley finished as the runner-up behind Coronation Street actress Jodie Prenger.

Buckley has opened up about her struggles with an eating disorder and depression throughout her adolescence. She subsequently trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (Rada) in London, earning her BA in acting in 2013.

Her theatrical journey began that very year with an appearance at Shakespeare’s Globe in The Tempest, before sharing the stage with The Holiday star Jude Law in a West End staging of Henry V.

Buckley subsequently took on the role of Marya Bolkonskaya in the 2016 television adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, and made her cinema debut the following year in Michael Pearce’s psychological thriller Beast, appearing opposite Emma star Johnny Flynn.

She went on to feature in Wild Rose (2018), a coming-of-age musical drama centring on Rose-Lynn, a troubled Glasgow mother of two and ex-convict pursuing her ambitions of country music stardom – a performance that earned her the 2019 Scottish Bafta for best actress.

In 2020, Buckley appeared alongside Jesse Plemons in the psychological thriller I’m Thinking Of Ending Things, where a trip to her boyfriend’s isolated family farm transforms everything she believed she understood about him. Her impressive television portfolio includes her portrayal of Lyudmilla Ignatenko in HBO’s 2019 drama Chernobyl, followed by her performance as Oraetta Mayflower in the acclaimed series Fargo.

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On the big screen, she appeared in The Lost Daughter (2021) opposite Olivia Colman, a performance that earned her maiden Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress, and featured in the period piece Women Talking (2022) alongside The Crown’s Claire Foy, which tells the harrowing true account of women in a religious community who come to understand the full scale of sexual abuse they’ve suffered at the hands of men after beginning to share their stories with each other.

Most recently, Buckley joined forces with Colman again in 2023’s Wicked Little Letters and appeared with Four Lions star Riz Ahmed and The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White in the science fiction romance Fingernails, exploring the story of a woman who starts doubting her relationship despite a contentious test confirming them as an ideal couple. In 2022, Buckley secured the Laurence Olivier Award for best actress in a musical for her interpretation of Sally Bowles in Cabaret.

Oscars fans have called for the Academy to apologise to one of its winners after the ‘extremely messed up’ moment when his speech was cut very short.

Tonight saw Netflix hit Kpop Demon Hunters take home two awards, one for animated feature film and another for best original song.

But while the lively tune Golden was being honoured, one of the most ‘painful’ moments of the ceremony also occurred.

Singer-songwriter Ejae accepted the trophy, having also belted out the track with Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami in a stunning performance that saw the whole Dolby Theatre wave lights in the air.

She began her speech alongside co-writers Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, and Teddy Park.

Visibly emotional, she said: ‘Growing up, people made fun of me liking K-Pop, but now everyone’s singing our song and all the Korean lyrics.

‘I’m so proud, and I realised, the song, like this award, is not about success; it’s about resilience.’

Indeed, the Huntrix lyrics have resonated with many worldwide, causing the single to top the charts and become the first K-pop song to win a Grammy and an Oscar.

However, when Lee took to the mic to deliver his acceptance speech, the higher-ups obviously had other ideas.

In a clip that has since gone viral on social media, he walked up holding a piece of paper, having prepared what he wanted to say.

‘I’d like to thank…’, he began, only able to get out four short words before his voice was drowned out by music, signalling that his time was up.

Fellow songwriter and composer Sonnenblick began jumping up and down in protest, while Ejae was clearly upset and begged for a few more seconds.

Unfortunately, despite their efforts, the Oscars were having none of it. While he continued trying to speak, the camera panned out, and a voiceover resumed, announcing that the awards for best director and best actor were coming up after the commercial break.

Taking to X after witnessing the carnage, @zakfilm raged: ‘This was absolutely shameful by the Academy to not stop the music even after they asked for more time. Especially after they just did a live performance for Golden, they deserved to have their moment to talk.’

@JamiUwUs declared that Lee ‘deserved his moment’, while @alamanecer said the film ‘deserved so much better than this’.

@pixielexiee called for a ‘formal apology’ and @WaashyV2 blasted the move as ‘disgustingly disrespectful’.

‘That poor guy, you can tell English isn’t his first language and he probably practiced a lot for that moment and they cut him off like that!!! [sic]’, said @Szamaximoff.

’Respectfully if they wanna save time they can cut down their unfunny useless jokes and give more time for the speeches’, @zendayaxhat quipped.

‘I could cry I feel so bad’, added @CoolwithaKatie. ‘the cast needs to record his speech and post it so we can hear what they so rudely cut off’.

Several others asked ‘where was this energy for Adrien Brody last year’, after the American actor, 52, took home best actor for his role in The Brutalist.

He delivered the longest-ever acceptance speech at five minutes and 40 seconds, opening by thanking his castmates and crew before reflecting on issues prevalent in society, such as racism, antisemitism, and war.

The UK Government advises going indoors during a nuclear emergency, where you might be expected to stay for days

With global tensions running high following recent developments in Iran, many Britons are understandably anxious about what lies ahead.

While the chances remain extremely remote, it’s worth understanding the official guidance for protecting yourself at home should the unthinkable occur.

The British Government recommends a three-step approach in the event of a nuclear incident on UK soil – go in, stay in, tune in.

Should a radiation emergency arise, there are several straightforward measures you can implement to safeguard yourself and your loved ones.

The instruction to ‘go in’ means that if you become aware of a radiation emergency in your vicinity, you must get indoors immediately.

To maximise your protection, make certain all windows and doors are shut, and position yourself as far from exterior walls as possible.

The most secure location is towards the centre of the building, well away from external doors, windows and walls. This helps to “avoid exposure from any radioactive material that has collected on the outside of the building.”

According to gov.uk, remaining indoors significantly reduces your radiation exposure. Once inside, switch off all ventilation systems and air conditioning units, seal all entry points and windows, and block up any air vents.

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Should you be instructed to shelter at home, be prepared to remain indoors for potentially one to two days. The Government urges citizens to ‘tune in’, meaning staying abreast of developments through official UK Government guidance on appropriate actions.

These updates can reach you through television, radio, online platforms, social media channels or via police communications.

A nuclear strike would trigger an instant radiation crisis, involving the discharge of radioactive substances. Individuals may encounter exposure through various routes.

According to the Government website: “Breathing in radioactive materials. Direct exposure to radioactive material carried in the air and deposited on surfaces, clothing or skin. Eating or drinking food or water contaminated with radioactive materials.”

While taking preventative measures matters, anyone caught within the immediate blast zone of a nuclear strike faces virtually no prospect of survival.

The extreme temperatures would incinerate human tissue instantly, whilst radiation affecting those at greater distances could still inflict a marginally prolonged, agonising death.

Acute Radiation Syndrome results from such exposure, with initial survivors potentially suffering nausea, vomiting, headaches and catastrophic multi-organ failure. This would ordinarily prove fatal within days or weeks.

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament website explains: “If a nuclear bomb were detonated, the heart of the nuclear explosion would reach a temperature of several million degrees centigrade. The resulting heat flash would literally vaporise all human tissue over a wide area.

“At Hiroshima, within a radius of half a mile, the only remains of most of the people caught in the open were their shadows burnt into stone.”

Experts predict that to stand any chance of surviving a significant nuclear strike and avoiding lethal radiation exposure, you would need to be a minimum of 10 to 20 miles from the blast.

To put this into perspective, should an attack strike central London, areas such as St Albans, Brentwood and Windsor would likely experience considerably reduced levels of radiation.

The 2026 Oscars marked a huge night for Michael B. Jordan and Jessie Buckley, who triumphed in the most coveted categories, best actor and best actress.

Hosted for the second time by Conan O’Brien, the 98th Academy Awards saw Hollywood’s biggest names descend on the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles for a celebration of another epic 12 months of cinema.

Ahead of the night, Ryan Coogler’s horror/action blockbuster Sinners led the way with a record-breaking 16 nominations, while acting titans including Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone, Ethan Hawke, and Kate Hudson had hopes of winning big.

Jordan’s portrayal of the dual role of twin brothers Smoke and Stack in Sinners ultimately secured him a leading gong, as did Buckley’s performance as Agnes Shakespeare in Hamnet.

Meanwhile, it was Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another that emerged the most decorated, taking home six of its 13 noms. This included best picture and Anderson’s first-ever Oscar win after 14 nominations.

Taking to the stage for his acceptance speech, Jordan, 39, was visibly stunned, taking to the mic and declaring: ‘God is good.

‘I stand here because of the people that came before me,’ he continued, name-checking Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker, and Will Smith.

‘To be amongst those giants, amongst those greats, amongst my ancestors, amongst my guys. Thank you, everybody in this room and everybody at home for supporting me over my career. I feel it.

‘I know you guys want me to do well, and I want to do that because you guys bet on me. So thank you for keep betting on me, and I’m gonna keep stepping up, and I’m gonna keep being the best version of myself I could be.’

His gratitude undeniable, he concluded: ‘Thank you for everybody in this room that has something to do with my success.

‘I love you guys and everybody at home who supported Sinners, who went to go see the movie, once, twice, three, four or five times, thank you, because you guys made this movie what it is. I love you. I love you. I love you.’

Jordan faced competition from DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Hawke (Blue Moon), Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent), but proved the bookies right as he collected the golden statue, having been the favourite with odds of over 50%.

And when it came to best actress, Buckley’s winning moment was equally emotional as she hugged her husband, Freddie Sorensen, and her ecstatic co-star Paul Mescal.

Through tears, the Irish actress, 36, dedicated the award to the ‘beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart’.

‘This is really something,’ she began in disbelief. ‘Thank you to the incredible women that I stand beside. I am inspired by your art and your heart, and I want to work with every single one of you.

‘Mum, Dad, thank you for teaching us to dream and to never be defined by expectation but to carve from your own passion.’

She went on to note that it is Mother’s Day in the UK: ‘We all come from a lineage of women who continue to create against all odds.’

‘Thank you for recognising me in this role,’ Buckley finished off. ‘This is the greatest honour. I can’t even believe it.’

Other main categories saw the cast and crew of action-thriller One Battle After Another collect best picture, during which Anderson, who also bagged best director, said proudly: ‘What a night. Let’s have a martini. This is pretty amazing!’

The filmmaker also used the night to honour his friend ‘on the other side of the shadows’, Adam Somner, who was Anderson’s long-time collaborator and died in 2024 before the film was released.

Anderson said: ‘He’s at the bar having a gin and tonic, and he’s so happy for me.’

Looking at the award, he added: ‘There will always be some doubt that you deserve it, but there is no doubt in the pleasure at having it for myself.’

Other notable wins of the night came from the supporting actor and actress categories, which went to Sean Penn and Amy Madigan, respectively.

For Penn, it was his third Oscar thanks to his portrayal of corrupt military officer Col. Steven J. Lockjaw in One Battle After Another, and for Madigan, following a successful awards season run, she added another accolade to her collection for playing the villainous Aunt Gladys in horror flick Weapons.

While Penn, 65, stayed true to tradition by opting not to attend, Field of Dreams star Madigan, 75, told the audience how ‘overwhelmed’ she felt upon winning.

Referring to her husband of more than 40 years, she said: ‘The most important is my beloved Ed, who’s been with me forever, and that’s a long-ass time, and none of this would mean anything if he wasn’t by my side.

‘Thank you, I’m very overwhelmed.’

The segement paid tribute to a number of Hollywood stars who died during the past 12 months

Oscars viewers have declared ‘we’re all mad’ over several major omissions from the 98th Academy Awards’ In Memoriam segment.

Rather than airing a standard montage as usual, those gathered in LA’s Dolby Theatre on Sunday night (March 15) saw a number of stars sharing words of tributes after one of the most devastating periods in Hollywood’s history.

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The In Memoriam segment is often one of the most talked about moments of the evening which doesn’t leave a dry eye in the house. The segment pays tribute to the stars who have died from the world of film.

During the poignant segment, comedy icon Billy Crystal shared words honouring his When Harry Met Sally director Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle were killed on December 14 in their home. Their son, Nick Reiner, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

The segment also saw Canadian actress Rachel McAdams pay tribute to the late Diane Keaton whom she described as a ‘legend with no end’. McAdams also used her time on the stage to honour the late Catherine O’Hara.

Music legend Barbra Streisand emerged on stage to speak about Robert Redford. The Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid star died at the age of 89 at his home in Sundance, Utah, in September last year.

She said before singing The Way We Were: “After I read the first script of ‘The Way We Were,’ I could only imagine one man in the role and that was Robert Redford. But he turned it down because he said the character had no backbone. He doesn’t stand for anything, and he was right. So many drafts later, Bob finally agreed to do it.

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“He was a brilliant, subtle actor, and we had a wonderful time playing off each other because we never quite knew what the other one was going to do in a scene. And I’m thrilled that The Way We Were is now considered a classic love story, but it’s also about a dark time in our history, the late ’40s and early ’50s, when people were informing on each other and subject to loyalty oaths.

“Now, Bob had a real backbone on and off the screen. He spoke up to defend freedom of the press, protect the environment and encouraged new voices at his Sundance Institute, some of whom are up for Oscars tonight, which is so great. He was thoughtful and bold.”

Due to the amount of deaths that occurred in the industry since the last Oscars, a number of stars were only mentioned on the Academy’s website. Among them were James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane.

Dawson’s Creek star Van Der Beek died ‘peacefully’ at the age of 48, his family confirmed in a statement last month. Van Der Beek shared his cancer diagnosis back in 2024, when he announced that he was focussing on spending time with his wife Kimberly and their six children.

Last month also saw TV star Dane die at the age of 53, surrounded by friends, his devoted wife, and his two daughters. He had become a fervent champion for ALS awareness and research following his diagnosis last year.

Dane continued to work despite his deteriorating health, but was too ill to attend the Emmy Awards last month. The father of two, who was born in San Francisco, California, enjoyed a 35-year career, during which he appeared in Grey’s Anatomy, Charmed, Euphoria and numerous other US television series and films.

Also not mentioned during the ceremony, but who appear on the Academy’s website, is The Cosby Show’s Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Lizzie McGuire’s Robert Carradine, Meet Me in St. Louis’ June Lockhart, Harold and Maude’s Bud Cort, Viva Maria’s Brigitte Bardot, Cheers’ George Wendt, the Fantastic Four’s Julian McMahon, Sinister’s James Ransone, What’s Happening’s Danielle Spencer, MASH’s Loretta Swit and Sanford and Son’s Demond Wilson.

Those watching this year’s Oscars at home rushed to X, previously known as Twitter, to express their frustrations with the omissions from this year’s In Memoriam.

@hopeIessromntic said: “so weird not to do a tribute to james ver beek and eric dane?? #oscars.” @stilesbyjune added: “They forgot about Eric Dane? #oscars.”

@KaiEnigma wrote: “I’m glad we’re all mad Eric Dane wasn’t in the memorial #Oscars.” @icaunicdiary stated: “why wasn’t eric dane apart of the tribute??? #Oscars.”

@DeeDees_Opinion commented: “No in memory for Julian McMahon, James Van Der Beek or Eric Dane? #TheOscars #AcademyAwards.” @JuryHouseVet posted: “Wtf they didn’t show James Van Der Beek or Eric Dane. #TheOscars.”

This comes after the second reading of the government’s controversial Courts and Tribunal Bill, which amongst other measures proposes cutting the number of jury trials.

Bolton South and Walkden MP Yasmin Qureshi, who previously worked as a CPS barrister and designated rape and child abuse specialist, abstained on the vote earlier this week.

She said: “I abstained because I believe this Bill contains genuinely important measures that I want to see enacted. 

“The investment in legal aid matters. The additional sitting days matter. The funding for our courts matters.

Bolton Crown Court has a backlog of 100s of cases waiting to be heard (Image: Anthony Moss)

“Voting it down at second reading would have put all of that at risk, and I was not prepared to do that. 

“But a vote in favour would have been a vote to accept measures I believe are wrong in principle and unproven in practice.

“Restricting the right to jury trial and removing the automatic right of appeal are not minor procedural adjustments.

“They are changes that will fall hardest on defendants who are already the most vulnerable in the system: those from deprived backgrounds, those without legal representation, those who already find the justice system difficult to navigate.”

She added: “My constituency is the 38th most deprived in the country.

“When I consider how these reforms would affect people in Bolton South and Walkden who end up in the criminal justice system, I cannot be comfortable with them.

“The automatic right of appeal exists because magistrates courts get things wrong.

“We know that a significant proportion of those appeals succeed. Removing that right will leave some defendants, the ones who could least afford to challenge an unjust outcome, with nowhere to turn.”

The government has said the Bill is needed to tackle a huge backlog of cases waiting to be heard.

According to the Ministry of Justice as of June last year there was a backlog of 78,329 cases waiting to be heard.

In Bolton alone there was a backlog 938 cases.

But the Courts and Tribunals Bill’s most controversial aspect includes restricting the right of defendants to a jury in triable either way cases.

The Bill also proposes removing the automatic right of appeal from magistrates courts to the Crown Court.

It proposes increases magistrates’ maximum sentencing powers from 12 to 24 months and provides investment in legal aid and additional court sitting days.

Ms Qureshi said: “On jury trials, I have to be honest: I do not accept the government’s case that restricting them will meaningfully reduce the Crown Court backlog.

“When I prosecuted in the 1990s, more cases were heard in the Crown Court because magistrates had sentencing powers of only six months, and yet the backlogs we see today did not exist.

“The delays are the result of years of court closures, cuts to sitting days, reductions in staff and the enormous pressure placed on legal aid. Those are the things that need fixing. 

“I want this government to succeed in clearing the backlog. I want victims of rape and sexual abuse to get their day in court faster.

“I spent years of my career working with those victims and I know what delayed justice costs them.

“That is precisely why I am asking the government to think again.

“Introduce properly funded specialist rape courts. Fix the prisoner transport contracts. Reform case management so that cases progress to an early plea.

“Put those measures in place first and see what they achieve before restricting the right to jury trial. 

“I will engage fully in the committee and report stages of this Bill. There is much here worth fighting for.

“But I am calling on the government to use those stages to listen, to revise, and to ensure that the measures that reach the statute book are both effective and fair.” 

The Bill passed its second reading on March 10 and will go to a committee stage before being brought back to the House of Commons for a third reading.

Justice Secretary David Lammy MP has said previously that the Bill is needed to bring down growing case backlogs which are causing a crisis in the courts.

He said: “Victims are currently worn down, people simply give up, cases collapse and offenders remain free. Free to roam the streets, free to commit more crimes, free to create more victims.

“To restore swift and fair justice, we are pulling every lever available, investment is essential, modernisation is essential, and reform.”