Labour MP Karl Turner, a prominent vocal critic of the Government’s policy of restricting jury trials, has had the Labour whip suspended.
The Kingston upon Hull East MP, 54, has repeatedly hit out at David Lammy‘s proposal to allow juries to hear only the most serious criminal cases.
Under plans being pushed through by Justice Secretary Mr Lammy, criminal cases with a likely sentence of three years or less would not be entitled to a jury trial.
Under changes proposed in the Courts and Tribunals Bill, these would instead be heard by a single crown court judge.
The Government has faced considerable opposition from its own backbenchers, with Mr Turner branded them ‘unworkable, unpopular, unjust and unnecessary’, when they were debated in the Commons earlier this month.
The Mail understands he was told by Chief Whip Jonathan Reynolds that he was suspending the whip ‘following his recent conduct’.
But writing on X Mr Turner said: ‘I am being told that I have had the whip suspended but I have not had any notification from the whips about this. It seems journalists have been told but I have not.’
It will raise questions also about what may happen to other critics within the party.
MP Charlotte Nichols (Warrington North) also criticised the law change, saying ministers were using victims as a ‘cudgel’ to push through the reforms.
The Kingston upon Hull East MP, 54, has repeatedly hit out at David Lammy’s proposal to allow juries to hear only the most serious criminal cases.
Under plans being pushed through by Justice Secretary Mr Lammy, criminal cases with a likely sentence of three years or less would not be entitled to a jury trial.
