Starmer leadership may face attacks by Labour rebel and Burnham plot

KEIR

- BY MARTYN BROWN Political Editor

Starmer is facing a double assault to his authority with a by-election threat and fresh plot to oust him by Andy Burnham.Rebel Labour MP Karl Turner threatened to trigger a vote for his seat unless the Prime Minister backs down on plans to scrap jury trials for many cases.

The former barrister, said he was “ashamed” of the “ludicrous proposals”. Mr Turner has warned Labour whips he would consider triggering the by-election to make a “principled point”.

The Hull East MP won by nearly 4,000 votes ahead of Reform UK at the last general election.

But Labour's slump in the polls since the 2024 contest - combined with Reform’s surge — will leave Nigel Farage’s party confident of winning the seat.

Mr Turner was the only Labour MP to rebel against the government in a House of Commons vote last week over the plans to scrap jury trials.