Labour MP Tells Starmer To Scrap Jury Reforms Or Face A By-Election

A Labour MP has told Keir Starmer to scrap his planned jury reforms – or he will trigger a by-election.

The government intends to limit jury trials in England and Wales, abolishing them altogether for non-serious offences – those with a likely prison sentences of three years of less – in a bid to clear the court backlog.

But Karl Turner, the former shadow solicitor general, has told The Sunday Times he is “ashamed” of the prime minister and justice secretary David Lammy for going ahead with the plans.

The MP for Kingston upon Hull East urged the government to “stop these ludicrous proposals and get on with the hard job of sorting out the criminal justice system”.

He voted for a Tory motion to force a vote among MPs on the government’s justice reforms this week, breaking the party whip as he did so.

That marked the first time Turner had voted against his own party since securing a seat in 2010.

While around 40 Labour MPs previously warned the prime minister they are not prepared to support the plans, Turner was the only one to oppose the government and back a Tory motion.

But he told The Sunday Times he is “not fearful of having the whip removed” as a result, and would even consider standing down as an MP.

He currently holds his seat with a majority of 3,920 – Reform came in second place.

Despite the threat, Turner said he does not believe he will end up triggering a by-election, noting Labour MPs are “seething” over the reforms.

He suggested the backbenchers will be able to defeat the government’s motion if it “daft enough” to bring it forward.

Turner also revealed that the justice reforms “really matter” to him because he was wrongly accused of a crime “many years ago” – leading him to pursue his own career in law before becoming an MP.

The Ministry of Justice told the newspaper: “Victims are facing an unacceptably long wait for justice after years of delays in our courts. This government is determined to change that.

“That is why we are combining bold reforms, record levels of investment and action to tackle inefficiencies across the system — so victims and survivors see their cases heard sooner and get the justice they deserve.

“Taken together, these measures will ensure the most serious cases are prioritised and continue to be heard by a jury, while reducing unnecessary delays that leave victims waiting for far too long.”