Outspoken backbench MP suspended by Labour

A backbench Labour MP who has been a frequent critic of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government has been suspended from the parliamentary party.

The BBC understands Karl Turner, the MP for Hull East, had the Labour whip removed over recent comments about colleagues that have been described as "uncollegiate", rather than his criticism of government policy.

In a post on X, Turner said he had not had "any notification from the whips" about his suspension, adding it seemed "journalists have been told but I have not".

Turner has regularly criticised the prime minister's policies, including the government's plans to reform jury trials.

Government sources have told the BBC that Turner has had previous written warnings, but the decision to suspend the whip will be kept under review.

Turner has been one of the most vocal opponents of the government's proposal to limit jury trials in England and Wales.

Last year, the MP branded the reform a "stupid idea" and urged Justice Secretary David Lammy to "please God, stop what you're doing".

Speaking to Times Radio earlier this month, Turner said he was "already on a conduct warning for having the audacity to say that these proposals are ludicrous".

"I'm not going to be bullied around," Turner said.

"If my parliamentary Labour party chief, prime minister, leader of the party or whatever else doesn't want me in the party anymore, fine. I don't mind walking and causing a by-election."

More recently, Turner has commented on the theft of a government phone owned by the prime minister's former chief-of-staff Morgan McSweeney.

Messages relating to Lord Mandelson's appointment as British ambassador to the US could be lost as a result of the theft in October last year.

Posting on X, Turner wrote: "I don't believe McSwindle had his iPhone stolen."

He offered no evidence for this claim.

But in a later post, he said: "I got the memo now. Morgan McSweeney was mugged, reported that to the police, followed all the processes. Any questions around this is just conspiracy theory territory, really. Let's move along now."