Labour MP Karl Turner hits out at PM Sir Keir Starmer over jury trial reforms

Labour MP Karl Turner has told Sir Keir Starmer he should be 'ashamed of himself' over plans to scrap jury trials. The Kingston upon Hull East MP and former barrister broke the party whip to vote against the proposals, taking aim at the Prime Minister's justice reforms and accusing Justice Secretary David Lammy - who is also Deputy Prime Minister - of having 'fallen for the civil servants' trick'. In Decemeber, 2025 Lammy announced in the House of Commons plans to abolish jury trials for cases likely to carry sentences of three years or less and introduce new so-called 'swift courts', where cases in England and Wales would be heard by a judge alone, arguing the move is necessary to slash the Crown Court backlog.