Magna Carta treason trial set for 800 years later

A group of barons and bishops are set to stand trial on treason charges 800 years after their alleged crime, the Supreme Court has announced.

Examining the Salisbury Magna Carta document Image by Clare Kendall/British Library/PA Wire

They will face judgement in a two-hour mock trial in the Houses of Parliament before three of the world’s top judges to help mark the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta.

The show trial is to feature modern-day barons and bishops while lawyers from the across the Commonwealth will argue the defence and prosecution cases. One of the key issues is set to be whether the barons and bishops were acting lawfully when they refused to surrender London to King John as they had agreed.