Who is Al Carns? The Scots-born veteran tipped as Labour leadership contender
Although he was only elected as an MP in 2024, the Aberdeen native has made a big impression in his 22 months in Westminster.
With Sir Keir Starmer’s future in doubt, lots of names have been bandied about as to who could replace or challenge him.
Wes Streeting is an obvious one, with the Health Secretary believed to be launching a bd to take over on Thursday.
Andy Burnham is another, although the Greater Manchester Mayor needs to find a Commons seat if he wants to stand in a contest.
Angela Rayner is also a likely contender, especially given that the former deputy prime minister has now been cleared over her tax affairs.
Former Labour leader Ed Miliband also could be in the mix, although he had a rough time when he was in charge of the party before.
But one, lesser known name, regularly comes up when any leadership chat is mentioned: Al Carns.
Although he was only elected as an MP in 2024, the Aberdeen native has made a big impression in his 22 months in Westminster.
He served five tours in Afghanistan and hit the headlines earlier this year when he criticised Donald Trump for claiming Nato troops avoided the frontline.
The Birmingham Selly Oak MP was appointed to the UK Government as veterans minister as soon as he was elected.
The Scotsman revealed last year that he had approached the Scottish Labour MPs about becoming their candidate for the Labour deputy leadership election, but the group decided that it had to be a woman.
While few senior UK Government figures campaigned in Scotland ahead of the Holyrood election because Anas Sarwar had urged Sir Keir to quit, Mr Carns was out campaigning north of the border.
One source said that he was very keen that photographs of him were posted on social media.
Not lacking in confidence, recent reports have suggested that the former Royal Marines colonel will stand if a leadership contest is triggered.
He wrote an article in the New Statesman earlier this week titled “How Labour can win again”.
It has been interpreted as a leadership pitch.
He wrote that the Labour Party “was founded to give ordinary working people security, dignity and bargaining power over their lives”.
He added: “That is exactly what I believe, and it must be our mission again. We do not need more slogans, strategies, press releases or commissions. We need action.”
One Labour MP seemed pretty upbeat about the prospect of Mr Carns as leader.
They said: “A Scottish Prime Minister would surely be good for us.”
He is a real outsider, but unlike all the other candidates, he has no baggage.
Plus his history in the armed forces is seen as a means of appealing to the patriotism of the British public.
Mr Carns might not win but a bid would give him a higher profile.
It may encourage other candidates to consider him for a big job.
Defence Secretary, perhaps?
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