Karl Turner MP

.@Peston “We know history, we want news” @NickTorfaen “This isn’t the past, this is a negotiation now” @Peston presses the Minister for EU Relations on what the Chancellor’s announcement on closer ties with the EU actually means #Peston

30 organisations representing victims of violence against women and girls have written to the Justice Secretary urging him against curtailing the right to jury trials. The letter says they are “deeply concerned that the curtailment of jury trials risks unfair outcomes that undermine justice for everyone... "To position the rights and interests of survivors as directly opposed to those of defendants oversimplifies the reality of how our criminal justice system treats women and survivors on all sides of our adversarial model." It's not too late for the government to listen to the thousands of voices of victims, judges, barristers, other legal professionals and academics who oppose this unnecessary proposal and stop before bulldozing our jury system. #JusticeNeedsJuries bit.ly/4uzLSQn

"these bin workers woke up one morning & they were told they were going to take up to an £8,000 pay cut.. there was a deal.. & the managing director came back & said I can't get this through the govt commissioners" @UniteSharon on the Birmingham bin strike.

Depriving people of the right to trial by jury is an egregious assault on a pillar of our justice system. The opposition to these proposals is significant, be it the 3,200 lawyers, including senior barristers and retired judges, who wrote to the government last week about their opposition to the plans, or the 100 Labour MPs who refused to back the attempt by the government to curtail the right to trial by jury. The government must reverse its ill-judged decision. #JusticeNeedsJuries

Today’s £5m of funding will make a big difference for victims of domestic abuse. I’ve heard how pre-trial meetings have made a big difference for victims of rape and serious sexual assault. I’m glad that victims of DA will now have the same support. independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/…

"This is about getting the balance right." Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer defends the government's plans to scrap jury trials for cases likely to carry a sentence of fewer than three years. trib.al/ABmSNKF 📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube

'He's Burying The Party'. The HuffPost UK weekend political read on how Labour's latest humbling by-election defeat has increased the calls for Starmer to go. One senior party figure said: "Keir needs to be removed. The party has to act." huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/hes-bury…

Biased’ male judges will discriminate against women under Lammy plans, claim victims. @Telegraph Justice Secretary warned reduction in jury trials could result in ‘unfair’ verdicts “@DavidLammy has been urged to abandon plans to cut jury trials over fears that male judges will deliver biased verdicts against women. A total of 30 organisations representing victims of violence against women and girls have written to the Justice Secretary, warning him that the judge-only courts will “increase the potential for individual biases” to influence the outcome of cases. The groups, which include the @centreWJ and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust , pointed to Ministry of Justice data showing that only 36 per cent of circuit judges who sit in Crown Court are women and only 10 per cent are from ethnic minority backgrounds. They said in the letter: “Conversely, the involvement of 12 randomly selected people brings a wider range of lived experiences, insights, and perspectives into the decision-making process, strengthening the fairness and balance of deliberations. “Requiring a unanimous verdict means that every juror’s viewpoint must be considered, ensuring that the final decision reflects collective deliberation rather than relying on a single viewpoint. We know that black people, older people and women elect for trial at the Crown Court at higher rates than other groups.” The groups added: “The protections of a jury trial are therefore central to the integrity of the system and are critical for victims, particularly women and those from minoritised groups, who are subject to discriminatory treatment and are already likely to mistrust the system.” Full report here telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/1…

Today, I have announced £5 million of funding for the @CPSUK to support victims of domestic abuse in the Crown Court. Victims will be offered a pre trial meeting with the prosecution. This will provide them with better support and ensure their voice is heard.