Karl Turner was first elected as Labour MP for Kingston Upon Hull East in 2010 being reelected in 2019 with a majority of 1,239.
The constituency of Kingston upon Hull East covers the bulk of the city of Hull on the eastern side of the River Hull. It is a mixed seat which includes a number of new dockside developments and suburban housing near East Park, as well as more deprived areas close to the city’s docks and industrial quarter. Overall this is the most deprived of the three Hull seats. This part of England is normally a Labour stronghold and this seat has been held by Labour continuously since 1935. For forty years it was represented by the former Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott.
In the 2019 General Election, allied to the appearance of the Brexit Party, Labour’s vote declined here by 19% and the Conservatives very nearly gained this seat.
Turner currently serves as the Shadow Minister for Legal Aid.
He previously served as Shadow Minister for Shipping, Aviation and Road Safety under Jeremy Corbyn between 2017 and 2020, as Shadow Attorney General in 2016, and Shadow Solicitor General between 2014 and 2016.
Turner was born into a sea going and trade unionist family in Hull in 1971. He was educated at Bransholme High School and Hull University where he gained a Law degree. Before being elected to Parliament he worked with Mold Solicitors from 2005 to 2009, and then as a barrister with the Wilberforce Chambers in Hull.
Turner backed Sir Keir Starmer in the 2020 Labour leadership election, having supported Owen Smith in his 2016 challenge to Jeremy Corbyn.
In late 2019 during the Brexit dominated period in British politics, Turner directly confronted Boris Johnson’s then advisor, Dominic Cummings, over death threats that had been made against him.
Turner was once described as the ‘nosiest’ member of the House of Commons by former Speaker, John Bercow.
Karl Turner is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on School Food. He is married with a daughter.
Email: karl.turner.mp@parliament.uk
Personal Website: www.karlturnermp.org.uk
Twitter: @KarlTurnerMP
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karl-Turner/
