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Al Carns

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Colonel
Al Carns
DSO OBE MC MP
Official portrait, 2024
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces
In office
6 September 2025 – 11 June 2026
Prime MinisterKeir Starmer
Preceded byLuke Pollard
Succeeded byLouise Sandher-Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Veterans and People
In office
9 July 2024 – 6 September 2025
Prime MinisterKeir Starmer
Preceded byJohnny Mercer
Succeeded byLouise Sandher-Jones
Member of Parliament
for Birmingham Selly Oak
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded bySteve McCabe
Majority11,537 (30.1%)
Personal details
BornAlistair Scott Carns
(1980-03-27) 27 March 1980 (age 46)
Aberdeen, Scotland
PartyLabour
Children3
EducationHazlehead Academy
King's College London (MA)
Websitehttps://www.alcarns.co.uk/
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceRoyal Marines
Years of service
1999–2024 (regular)
2024–present (reserve)
RankColonel
UnitSpecial Boat Service
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
AwardsCompanion of the Distinguished Service Order (2024)
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (2022)
Military Cross (2011)
Mentioned in dispatches (2007)

Colonel Alistair Scott Carns (born 27 March 1980) is a British Labour Party politician. He has been the member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Selly Oak since 2024, and was a junior government minister between 2024 and 2026. He is a reserve Royal Marines officer and a former regular officer.

He was the parliamentary under-secretary of state for veterans and people from 2024 to 2025,[1] and was the parliamentary under-secretary for the armed forces from September 2025 until his resignation on 11 June 2026 as part of the 2026 Labour Party leadership crisis.

Early life and education

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Carns was born on 27 March 1980, in Aberdeen, Scotland,[1][2] one of five siblings he shared a bedroom with his two brothers and was raised by their single mother, in a three-bedroom home in Heatheryfold, next to a council estate.[3][4][5] He was educated at Hazlehead Academy, a comprehensive secondary school in Aberdeen, with an interest in military history, described by his History teacher as sporty, eclipsed only by his "accident proneness" he suffered a broken neck and leg and in a separate barbecue incident, third degree burns over 11% of his body.[6] He returned to college to improve his maths grades, completing a HND in physical fitness and sports science at Aberdeen College to increase his chance of enlisting in the Armed Forces.[6]

He developed an early interest in deep sea diving from visits to his father at work in Dyce, inspiring him with an ambition to become a combat diver.[2][6]

Military career

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Carns enlisted as a Royal Marine Commando in 1999.[1][7] He was commissioned as an officer in September 2002, and appointed to the trained strength as a captain in September 2003.[8] He was promoted to major on 1 October 2010,[9] to lieutenant colonel on 30 June 2016,[10] and to colonel on 26 July 2021.[11]

Carns served with the Special Boat Service (SBS), part of the UK's special forces.[12][13][4] The Independent reported that he had "served in every major conflict this country has been engaged in for the last two dozen years", but much of the detail could not be made public for security reasons.[14] He has stated he came close to death more than four times during his service.[2]

Carns served five operational tours in Afghanistan,[15] and was mentioned in dispatches "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan during the period 1st October 2006 to 31st March 2007".[16] In September 2011, he was awarded the Military Cross (MC) "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan during the period 1st October 2010 to 31st March 2011".[17] In the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).[18]

Carns was a military adviser to three Defence Secretaries: Michael Fallon, Gavin Williamson and Penny Mordaunt.[2]

Carns was expecting to be promoted to brigadier in June 2024, but in May 2024 he resigned his commission in order to stand for the Labour Party in the 2024 general election.[1][19]

Carns re-enlisted in the Royal Marines as a reservist in November 2024.[2]

In the 2025 New Year Honours, Carns was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the field during the period 1 October 2023 to 31 March 2024".[20] He received the insignia during a ceremony in July 2025; his was the first to feature King Charles III's cypher.[21]

Political career

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Carns with Navy personnel, 2024

Carns left the Royal Marines in 2024 so that he could stand as a candidate in the general election.[14] He had previously voted for the Conservative Party, and surprised his colleagues when he intended to stand as a Labour Party candidate.[4]

In the 2024 general election, he was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Selly Oak with 17,371 votes (45.2%) and a majority of 11,537.[22] On 24 July 2024, Carns made his maiden speech in the House of Commons during a debate on education and opportunity.[23]

On 9 July 2024, he was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Veterans and People in the Ministry of Defence.[24][25][26] This ministerial post is also simply known as the Minister for Veterans and People.[24] In September 2025, Carns became the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces, also known as the Minister for the Armed Forces.[27]

During the 2026 Labour Party leadership crisis, he has been named as a possible dark horse candidate for the Labour Party leadership, and therefore the next prime minister of the United Kingdom, if Keir Starmer stands down.[28][3][4] He resigned as minister on 11 June 2026, after Defence Secretary John Healey resigned earlier in the day.[29] In his resignation letter, Carns stated that "the character of conflict is changing faster than our procurement can keep up with", and criticised the defence investment plan agreed by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, arguing that it was "not built for the threat we face" and was "neither transformative enough nor sufficiently funded".[30]

Personal life

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Carns is divorced and has three children, two sons and a daughter (who graduated in pharmacy in 2025).[31][6]

Carns set a record by reaching the summit of Mount Everest in under five days, without the usual acclimatisation processes, on 21 May 2025, as part of a team of four British former-special forces members, trialling the use of xenon gas to speed up altitude acclimatisation.[32][5] He said, "The reality is if I had six to eight weeks to climb Everest, I would, but I'm a government minister and I don't have time."[33]

Honours

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Ribbon Description Notes
Distinguished Service Order Appointed Companion (DSO) in 2025[20]
Order of the British Empire Appointed Officer (OBE) in the Military Division in 2022[18]
Military Cross (MC)[17]
General Service Medal (1962) With two clasps
Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan
General Service Medal (2008) With clasp
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal 6 February 2012
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal 6 February 2022
King Charles III Coronation Medal 6 May 2023
Accumulated Campaign Service Medal 2011
Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1848) 2020[34]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Sengupta, Kim (26 June 2024). "'We need leadership': Alistair Carns on giving up a military career to become a Labour MP". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e Brown, Larisa (8 November 2024). "Alistair Carns: If war erupts in Europe, I want to be ready to fight". The Times. Archived from the original on 9 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b Holl-Allen, Genevieve (13 May 2026). "Defence minister Al Carns 'preparing Labour leadership challenge'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  4. ^ a b c d Brown, Larisa (14 May 2026). "Al Carns would put defence at heart of leadership run". The Times. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  5. ^ a b Burford, Rachael (2 March 2026). "Who is Alistair Carns? The ex-marine turned MP tipped to be Labour leader". The Standard. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d Macaulay, Susy (23 August 2025). "Marine Commando to Veterans Minister: Is Al Carns Hazlehead Academy's most accomplished former pupil?". Press and Journal. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  7. ^ Al Carns (31 October 2024). "LGBT Veterans Independent Review". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 755. United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 1048–1048.
  8. ^ "No. 57447". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 October 2004. p. 13487.
  9. ^ "No. 59593". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 November 2010. p. 21039.
  10. ^ "No. 61662". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 August 2016. p. 16581.
  11. ^ "No. 63476". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 September 2021. p. 16628.
  12. ^ Mason, Rowena (13 December 2025). "Who is Al Carns? Former Marine and Labour minister with sights on leadership". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  13. ^ Haynes, Deborah (12 December 2025). "UK 'rapidly developing' plans to prepare for war". Sky News. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  14. ^ a b Sengupta, Kim (26 June 2024). "'We need leadership': Alistair Carns on leaving the military to become a Labour MP". The Independent. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  15. ^ Hughes, David (23 January 2026). "Trump's Afghanistan claim 'utterly ridiculous' says minister and veteran Carns". The Standard. London. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  16. ^ "No. 58396". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 July 2007. p. 10412.
  17. ^ a b "No. 59924". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 September 2011. p. 18714.
  18. ^ a b "No. 63714". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 2022. p. B6.
  19. ^ "Recently retired Royal Marine Colonel Alistair Carns appointed Veterans Minister". www.forces.net. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  20. ^ a b "No. 64608". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2024. p. N42.
  21. ^ "First Distinguished Service Order bearing King's cypher awarded to Veterans Minister Al Carns". www.forcesnews.com. 29 July 2025.
  22. ^ "Birmingham Selly Oak – General election results 2024". BBC News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  23. ^ Al Carns (24 July 2024). "Education and Opportunity". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 752. United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 765–768.
  24. ^ a b "Alistair Carns MP". GOV.UK. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  25. ^ "Ministerial Appointments: July 2024". GOV.UK. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  26. ^ "Minister for Veterans and People – GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  27. ^ "Ministerial role: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for the Armed Forces)". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. September 2025. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  28. ^ "Who is Al Carns – the dark horse who could change a Labour leadership race". The Independent. 15 May 2026. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  29. ^ Whitehead, Jamie (11 June 2026). "Al Carns resigns as armed forces minister hours after defence secretary steps down". BBC News. Retrieved 11 June 2026. Armed Forces Minister Al Carns resigns from government hours after Defence Secretary John Healey stepped down.
  30. ^ Whitehead, Jamie; Smith, Alex. "Armed Forces Minister Al Carns quits hours after Defence Secretary John Healey steps down over military spending plans - live updates". BBC News. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  31. ^ Linklater, Magnus (21 March 2026). "'I grew up in Aberdeen, but learnt about leadership in Afghanistan'". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  32. ^ "British soldiers conquer Everest using groundbreaking method". 21 May 2025.
  33. ^ Wolfe, Jonathan; Sharma, Bhadra (27 May 2025). "They Inhaled a Gas and Scaled Everest in Days. Is It the Future of Mountaineering?". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  34. ^ "No. 62947". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 March 2020. p. 5502.
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