Karl Turner is the Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East, having first been elected to parliament at the 2010 general election.

In the 2024 general election, Turner received 13,047 votes, representing 43.8% of the vote share. The Reform UK candidate, Neil Hunter, received 9,127 votes (30.6%), while the Liberal Democrat candidate, Bob Morgan, secured 3,252 votes (10.9%). Turner was duly re-elected with a majority of 3,920 votes.

The Kingston upon Hull East constituency includes areas such as Drypool, Sutton, Ings, Marfleet, Longhill, Southcoates and North Carr.

This part of Hull has elected Labour MPs continuously since 1935 and is traditionally considered a safe Labour seat. It was represented for forty years (1970-2010) by the former deputy prime minister, John Prescott. Turner’s majority was dramatically reduced to just 1,239 votes in the 2019 general election.

Political Career

Turner is a member of the panel of chairs (since November 2024). The panel of chairs is made up of MPs chosen by the House of Commons speaker, typically at the beginning of every parliament, to chair public bill committees and other commons general committees. In this capacity, Turner also chairs debates in Westminster Hall and may also act as temporary chair during a committee of the whole House.

Turner had the Labour whip suspended in March 2026 after establishing himself as the most vocal critic of the government’s proposals to restrict jury trials to more serious offences as part of an effort to reduce backlogs in the court system. The MP had recently given an interview to activist and former Workers Party candidate Jody McIntyre, who stood against Jess Phillips in the 2024 general election.

In a statement, Turner said: “In 16 years as a Labour [MP], I have never broken the whip except on the issue of jury trials. That is why I am surprised and disappointed to have been suspended from the Labour whip without any prior verbal communication.”

Turner said he had written to the chief whip, through his solicitor, to seek a “full explanation”.

Turner said his suspension was related to his stance on jury trials.

He added: “I will not stand back from speaking truth to power when it matters. Jury trials are a cornerstone of our democracy and a vital safeguard in our justice system.

“Weakening them will not solve the crown court backlog; it will undermine public confidence while doing nothing to address the real causes; years of underinvestment, crumbling courts, outdated technology, and insufficient resources.”

Turner had the whip restored on 21 October 2026 on a “probationary basis”. In an “agreed” statement, Turner said: “I want to take this opportunity to apologise and reflect on the offence I may have caused colleagues in recent months.”

He added: “With the party under new leadership and a renewed approach to managing differences of opinion, I am keen to move forward positively and draw a line under this episode.”

Prior to the 2024 general election, which saw Labour returned to power after 14 years in opposition, Turner served in a series of shadow ministerial roles. Most recently, he was shadow solicitor general (November 2023 – May 2024).

Previously, Turner was shadow minister for legal aid from April 2020 to October 2021.

Under Jeremy Corbyn, he served as shadow minister for shipping, aviation and roads from July 2017 to April 2020. Turner was also an opposition whip from October 2016 to July 2017. He was briefly shadow attorney general from January to June 2016.

In June 2016, Turner was among those to resign from the shadow frontbench in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership and his approach to the Brexit referendum.

In his resignation letter, Turner wrote: “It has become increasingly clear that you do not hold the support of the shadow cabinet and the wider parliamentary Labour Party.”

In September 2019, Turner confronted Dominic Cummings, then chief adviser to prime minister Boris Johnson, in Portcullis House about death threats received by MPs, linking them to the political rhetoric around Brexit.

Turner stated: “That tone of language is going down well Domincic… I’ve had death threats overnight.”

Cummings replied: “Get Brexit done.”

Turner added: “The tone of your language has been appalling.”

Under Ed Miliband’s leadership, Turner served as shadow solicitor general (December 2014 – January 2016) and as an opposition assistant whip (January 2013 – September 2015).

Turner was a member of the justice committee (2022-2024 and 2010-2013), regulatory reform committee (2017-2021), and the home affairs committee (2012-2013).

Turner delivered his maiden speech on 24 June 2010 during a debate on budget resolutions and economic situation.

In it, he said: “Hull East, or East Hull, as it is known to those of us who were born and bred there, is a fantastic place. Its greatest asset is its people. East Hull folk have a reputation for straight talking, and I hope that I bring with me to the House that special quality. East Hull people are enriched by many excellent qualities, among which are their good sense and sound judgment.”

He added: “I am very proud of my roots. I was educated in a state comprehensive, and my school suffered from some shameful under-investment during the previous, 18-year-long Tory Government.

“I left school without having achieved much academic success, but after the first term of the previous Labour Government and their agenda for lifelong learning I had the opportunity and confidence to study law at the excellent University of Hull.”

Political Views

Leadership elections and loyalty

Labour deputy leadership 2025: Turner was one of 117 Labour MPs who nominated Lucy Powell for the party’s deputy leadership in September 2025. The election followed the resignation of Angela Rayner, who stepped down as deputy prime minister and deputy party leader after an investigation into her tax affairs. It marked the first time since 2007 that Labour had held a deputy leadership contest while in government.

Powell, the former leader of the House of Commons, was seen as a candidate representing the party’s “soft left”; she was supported by leading soft left figures including Ed Miliband and Andy Burnham. She secured 117 nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), above the 80 required, and went on to win the election – defeating Bridget Phillipson with 54.3% of the vote.

Labour leadership 2020: Turner was one of 82 Labour MPs who nominated Keir Starmer for the party’s leadership in early 2020. The election was triggered by the resignation of Jeremy Corbyn following the party’s defeat in the 2019 general election, which resulted in Labour’s fewest seats in the House of Commons since 1935.

Starmer’s 82 nominations were the highest of any candidate. The shadow Brexit secretary won a decisive victory in the first round with 56.2% of the vote, defeating Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy.

Labour leadership 2015: Turner was one of 68 Labour MPs who nominated Andy Burnham for the party’s leadership in June 2015. The election followed the resignation of Ed Miliband after the party’s defeat in the 2015 general election. It was the first contest held under the “one member, one vote” system, which replaced the previous electoral college.

Burnham, the shadow health secretary, was initially considered the frontrunner. He secured 68 nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), comfortably exceeding the 35 required to reach the final ballot. He ultimately finished second in the contest with 19% of the vote, losing to Jeremy Corbyn in the first round.

Corbyn loyalty list: In March 2016, Turner was labelled as “core group plus” by the Corbyn leadership in a leaked list which categorised Labour MPs by their perceived loyalty. This label suggested the Corbyn leadership viewed Turner as a reliable supporter.

Labour leadership 2016: Turner was one of 162 Labour MPs who nominated Owen Smith for the party’s leadership in July 2016. The election was triggered by a challenge to Jeremy Corbyn following the EU referendum, which led to a wave of shadow cabinet resignations and a vote of no confidence supported by 172 MPs. Smith, the former shadow work and pensions secretary, was ultimately defeated by Corbyn, who won with an increased mandate of 61.8% of the vote.

Labour leadership 2010: Turner was one of 33 Labour MPs who nominated Andy Burnham for the party’s leadership in May 2010. The election followed the resignation of Gordon Brown, who stepped down as prime minister and Labour leader after the 2010 general election.

Burnham, the former health secretary, secured 33 nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), the minimum required to reach the final ballot. He ultimately finished fourth in the contest with 10.4% of the vote.

Factional identity and party tradition

Tribune group (2017): Turner was listed among the supporters of the Tribune parliamentary group – a caucus generally described as representing the party’s “soft left”.

The Tribune group was initially formed in 1964 to support the newspaper of the same name. It served as a prominent forum for those parliamentarians situated on the left of the Labour Party – but it split over Tony Benn’s campaign for the deputy leadership in 1981. Benn’s supporters founded the Campaign group – which evolved into the Socialist Campaign Group (SCG). Today, the Bennite SCG is strongly associated with the Labour left tradition.

During the 1980s, the Tribune group emerged as a more natural home for those on Labour’s “soft left”.

In 2017, Efford officially re-launched the group with a new mission statement calling for “opportunity and aspiration” to be placed at the heart of the party’s programme. Efford said he had reformed the group to ensure that the centre-left of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) “have a space in which to put forward ideas and debate which has not been there under successive leaders”.

He added: “The view of Labour MPs at the moment tends to be that too much are just Blairites who want to stab Jeremy Corbyn in the back. We want to show that is not where we are, and that we want to develop our own ideas that represent the centre-left of the party.”

Brexit and Europe

Brexit referendum: Turner supported Remain in the 2016 Brexit referendum, and therefore disagreed with a majority of constituents, 72.8% of whom voted to Leave.

Article 50: In February 2017, Turner voted in favour of the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill. The legislation empowered the prime minister to notify the Council of the European Union of the UK’s intention to withdraw, formally triggering the process set out in Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. MPs supported the bill by 498 votes to 114 at second reading.

Welfare

Welfare vote (July 2025): Turner voted in favour of the government’s flagship welfare bill at second reading. The vote came after ministers agreed to significant concessions to avoid defeat via a mass rebellion of Labour MPs on 1 July 2025.

Assisted dying

Turner voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, better known as the assisted dying bill, at the second reading (November 2024). On the third reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in June 2025, Turner did not record a vote.

Social values and conscience issues

Abortion decriminalisation (2025): Turner voted in favour of a backbench amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that sought to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales in June 2025. The amendment, which was passed by a majority of 242 votes, removed women from the threat of prosecution for ending a pregnancy at any stage. As an issue of conscience, MPs were allowed to vote according to their personal beliefs.

Same-sex marriage (2013): In February 2013, Turner voted in favour of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill at its second reading. The landmark piece of legislation, which received its second reading by 400 votes to 175, legalised marriage for same-sex couples in England and Wales.

Foreign policy and security

Trident renewal (2016): Turner voted in favour of a government motion calling for the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent system in July 2016. The motion, which was passed by 472 votes to 117, committed the UK to constructing a new fleet of submarines to carry the nation’s nuclear weapons. Labour was split over the issue with 140 of its 230 MPs going against leader Jeremy Corbyn and backing the motion.

Syria airstrikes (2015): Turner voted against a government motion to extend UK airstrikes against Isis from Iraq into Syria in December 2015. The motion, which was passed by 397 votes to 223 after a ten-hour debate in the House of Commons, authorised the RAF to conduct strikes against Isis targets in Syria.

Palestine

Palestinian recognition letter (July 2025): In July 2025, Turner was among the over 254 MPs to sign a cross-party letter calling for the government to immediately recognise the state of Palestine. The letter called on the prime minister and foreign secretary to recognise Palestine at the UN Conference then taking place in New York.

Palestinian recognition vote (2014): In October 2014, Turner was one of 192 Labour MPs who voted in favour of recognising Palestine as a state. The motion, passed by 274 votes to 12, called on the government to “recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel as a contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution”.

Before Politics

Born Karl William Turner in Kingston upon Hull on 15 April 1971, he grew up in the city.

Turner has said his politics is “shaped by his trade unionist parents.”

Turner attended Bransholme High School, leaving at 16. He later studied business administration at Hull City Council Training (1987-1989) and worked as a self-employed antiques dealer.

He returned to education in the late 1990s, studying A-Levels at Hull College before obtaining a law degree from the University of Hull in 2004. He completed the bar vocational course at Northumbria University in 2005.

Turner was called to the bar in 2005 and practised criminal law in Hull, primarily with the Max Gold Partnership.

Personal Life

Turner is married to Leanne Turner. He has one daughter.

Trivia

John Bercow, the former speaker of the House of Commons, once described Turner as the “noisiest” MP.

Bercow stated: “The noisiest member of the House is Karl Turner, the Labour member for Kingston upon Hull East, who tends to yell at the government.

“‘Shocking! It’s a disgrace!’, he says, and then he points at a minister and says ‘Behave!’ whilst conspicuously failing to do so himself. So I have tended to tease him that he should go and lie down in a dark room, take some sort of soothing medicament, and he’ll probably feel better.”

Turner joined the Labour Party at the age of 13.