Alistair Carns

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, 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 Carns was born on 27 March 1980, in Aberdeen, Scotland. 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. 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. He was commissioned as an officer in September 2002, and appointed to the trained strength as a captain in September 2003. He was promoted to major on 1 October 2010, to lieutenant colonel on 30 June 2016, and to colonel on 26 July 2021.

Carns served with the Special Boat Service (SBS), part of the UK's special forces. He has stated he came close to death more than four times during his service. and was mentioned in dispatches "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan during the period 1st October 2006 to 31st March 2007". 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". In the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

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

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

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". He received the insignia during a ceremony in July 2025; his was the first to feature King Charles III's cypher.

Political career

Carns left the Royal Marines in 2024 so that he could stand as a candidate in the general election. On 24 July 2024, Carns made his maiden speech in the House of Commons during a debate on education and opportunity.

On 9 July 2024, he was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Veterans and People in the Ministry of Defence. This ministerial post is also simply known as the Minister for Veterans and People.

During the 2026 Labour Party leadership crisis, he was named as a possible dark horse candidate for the Labour Party leadership after Keir Starmer stood down; following media speculation in the weeks that followed Starmer's resignation, Carns ruled out running and endorsed Andy Burnham. He resigned as minister on 11 June 2026, after Defence Secretary John Healey resigned earlier in the day. 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".

Personal life Carns is divorced and has three children, two sons and a daughter (who graduated in pharmacy in 2025).

Honours