Rebel Labour MP Karl Turner has warned he could trigger a by-election over jury trial rights. Turner, a former shadow attorney general, broke the party whip to vote against UK Government plans. He accused Sir Keir Starmer of being “ashamed of himself” for supporting proposals that limit jury trials.
The Hull East MP said he is willing to quit the Commons to make a principled point. Turner told whips he is “not fearful of having the whip removed” and may trigger a by-election. He said Reform UK could win his seat if he resigns.
Turner shared a personal experience to explain why jury trial rights matter to him. Years ago, he accidentally bought stolen antiques without knowing they were illegal. Police arrested him, charged him, and held him in custody before the court case began.
Following legal advice, Turner chose a jury trial to defend himself. By the time he faced the court, the prosecution had insufficient evidence, so the judge dismissed the case. Judge Tom Cracknell later advised him to “be more careful in the future.” Turner said, “When I say this matters to me, it really matters to me.”
He holds his seat with a 3,920-vote majority over Reform UK from 2024. Turner told Times Radio he also feels “completely ashamed” of Justice Secretary David Lammy. He accused Lammy of falling for civil servants’ long-standing push to cut jury trials.
The UK Government plans to remove jury trials for crimes that carry up to three years’ imprisonment. Ministers also plan to restrict appeals from magistrates’ court decisions in crown court. They argue the changes will speed up the justice process.
Turner said he hopes other Labour rebels will join him to vote the proposals down. “If they’re daft enough to put this legislation forward… I’m confident we’ll defeat it,” he said. He added, “I think there are enough others who feel the same way.”
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